Sacrifice
by MadameCissy
Summary: The Curse has been broken and Regina has lost everything when Rumplestiltskin reminds her of a promise she made a long time ago. To get back what she lost, Regina has to make a sacrifice. It all comes back down to one thing: Emma. Is love really weakness and does magic always come at a price?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note:** Well, hi! I am relatively new to the world of Once Upon A Time but have become completely infatuated with the show and most – not all- of its characters. After the first episode I knew I had to do something with Emma and Regina. There is so much potential there. I didn't want to start straight away so I waited until I finished with the whole first season. I then moved on to season two, just to get an idea of what happened after the Dark Curse was broken. That's where this idea came from but some of it has been inspired by things we see later on in season two.  
Those of you who have read some of my Harry Potter stories may know my love for fantasy and creating a world inside a world. I like the idea of Once Upon A Time because the way they tell the story is the same way I like to write, without giving too much away at once and leaving questions unanswered until the very last moment, and the fact that in a fantasy world there are far fewer limits means there is a lot more to play with. So yeah, I decided to jump on board the ship. Sit back and I hope you'll enjoy the journey.

**Timeline**: Set after 1x22 A Land Without Magic and somewhere at the start of 2x1 Broken. I am kind of ignoring the storyline as it was developed in season two so Emma and Snow never fall through the portal and we don't see the wraith trying to kill Regina either or anything else from season 2 but there are a few tiny elements that ended up within this story in their own way and I'm sure you'll recognise them as we go along.

**Pairing:** Swan Queen Emma/Regina. Other pairings - established ones- like Snow/Charming and Rumple/Belle will appear too.

**Other:** Characters introduced in season 2 may or may not appear in one form or another and I hope to maybe introduce fairytale characters we haven't met in the show.

**Rating:** I'll stick to T for now.

**Disclaimer:** Yeah, yeah. Don't own anything, blah blah blah… the usual. I'll put them back where I found them when I'm done.

**Side note:** I am still trying to figure out what names to use for what characters; Mary Margaret or Snow, etc. Does anyone else find it confusing?! I've gone with what felt right when I wrote but I may make some changes in the future.

* * *

_"That's the thing about true love, dearie.  
It can slip through your fingers.  
It's the most powerful magic in the world.  
The only magic powerful enough to break any curse.  
It must be protected at all cost." _

_Rumpelstiltskin; A Land Without Magic  
_

* * *

**Chapter 1**

In the blink of an eye everything around them changed. It was as if a fresh gust of wind blew through the streets of Storybrooke, waking up those who had been trapped inside themselves for all this time. Memories that had faded into darkness emerged, filling the minds of those to whom they belonged. They found each other again, in the middle of the street, in living rooms and kitchens, across town in hospitals and schools. Those who had been ripped from each other's side, torn apart by evil and left to dwell in a pool of misery, slowly began to understand that the curse that had been placed upon them was no more. They were free.

As the minutes began to pass and people slowly gathered, something else happened in the forest. A man and a woman walked along the forest paths, a remnant of another life. Her rags hung around her emaciated frame and her hair was tangled. She walked unsteady, as if she had yet to find the strength and confidence. But when she spoke his name, it echoed a newfound hope.

"Wait… Rumpelstiltskin…"

When he turned she walked towards him. Tears glistened in her eyes. "I remember. I love you."

He held her for she was the most precious thing in his life. He held her and inhaled the scent that he had longed for and missed ever since his own memory returned. "Yes," he whispered with the voice of a broken man. "And I love you too." When he let go of her, he knew this was the moment. "But hey, there'll be time for that. There'll be time for everything. But first, there is something I must do."

He took her to the well. When she asked him what it was he explained the story behind it to her. No words could really describe what it meant to him. "This is a really special place, Belle," he answered. "The waters that run below are said to have the power to return that what one has lost."

He stepped up to the well, using his cane for support, and his hand slipped into his pocket as he peered down into the darkness. He had kept the phial for all these years. A rainy day, as he had called it. Though the sun was shining brightly in the skies over Storybrooke, today was that special rainy day. The content of the bottle swirled inside the glass, glowing a vibrant shade of pink as he removed the stopper and dropped the phial into the waters of the well.

What followed was what he expected. The wind whipped around his head, blowing his hair out of his eyes and the purple cloud slowly rose up from the depths below until they reached the edge and started pouring into the forest around them. He pulled Belle back from the well, although he knew she would not get hurt, and watched as the cloud slowly surrounded them, greeting him like an old friend. They were friends about to be reunited once again.

Across town, Regina sat on her son's bed, clutching the pillow on which he slept and still carried his scent. The world around her had fallen apart now that the curse was broken and she knew, sooner or later, they would come looking for her. It wasn't supposed to be this way. Something had gone wrong. But it wasn't until she noticed the cloud in the distance that she realised this wasn't over yet. She got up from the bed and walked across the room. The cloud came closer, engulfing all of Storybrooke, and she knew that this was not the end. It had only just begun.

* * *

There was such a thing as magic and there was such a thing as fairy tales. All her life she'd believed that none of it was true. She'd seen too much unhappiness to even consider believing such a thing existed. Throughout her time in Storybrooke she'd played along with Henry's fantasy for that was what she believed it was. Nothing could have been more ridiculous than the notion that the people in this town were characters taken from fairy tales that one of her foster parents read to her when she was a kid. The one that bothered to read to her, anyway.

But here it was, clear as day. They stood in front of her, the people who had become her friends, but they were no longer those people. They were something else, someone else, and to hear her friend speak the words that she wanted to find her daughter was almost too much to bear. The world had lost its mind and she just wished, for a moment, she could stop this damn globe because she wanted to get off. The people she called her friends were real but so were the characters they had been. They were the same and Emma Swan was in the middle of it, whether she wanted to and understood it or not.

"So it's true," she said as slowly the woman she had thought was her friend turned around. Mary Margaret's eyes found hers and she didn't know what to feel, what to think. She almost wished she felt as relieved as she did but she didn't. She couldn't. Not even when she walked towards her and caressed her cheek with a gloved hand. When Mary Margaret wrapped her arms around her, Emma didn't feel like she finally experienced the love of a mother for her child. All she felt was confusion. She had gone from being an orphan, angry at the world for abandoning her, to finding her parents and discovering they were nothing like she thought they were.

"You found us," Mary Margaret whispered through her tears but Emma didn't know what she'd found.

She didn't know what to call her. She didn't know who she was. Was she Mary Margaret or Snow White? Was she her mother or her friend? Could she both, was it still possible to have both those things? Was she really the child of a fairy tale character, of two fairy tale characters, who turned out to be as real as she was?

The conversation passed her by in a blur. They talked about the smoke, the cloud that had engulfed the town, but she didn't know what to say. When Mother Superior, or whoever she was, came over and said that it was magic, she recognised the hint of gear in everyone's eyes. She didn't know magic, she didn't know what the hell happened here, but she knew fear and right now, she saw it. She couldn't speak until Leroy mentioned seeking out the person responsible. The Queen.

The Queen was Regina.

"No," she said slowly and looked at the rest of the group. She knew what they were suggesting but they were wrong. "It wasn't Regina."

She knew it wasn't. It couldn't have been. Despite of what she was, or had been, this wasn't all her fault. She was the one who cast the curse but how it ended was beyond her control. She'd seen the pain in her eyes in the moment they believed Henry to be dead. She'd also seen the devastation. Whether it was solely because of Henry or something else, she didn't know. But she knew pain and she knew Regina had felt it. This wasn't her doing.

She looked around the group and caught the eyes of the woman who was her mother. She released the breath she'd been holding and ran her fingers through her hair. "I know this is crazy but… I don't know what else to do. Is there someplace we can talk…" She gestured around. "About this?"

"Sure," Mary Margaret answered. She seemed to sense Emma's unease and looked over her shoulder at Granny, who had her arm safely wrapped around Ruby. "Last time I checked, you still do the best burgers in town."

The group made their way over to the diner and Emma fell back. Henry, who'd been walking next to David, joined her and looked up at her. "Aren't you happy?" he wanted to know and studied her face with great interest. Emma realised that her reaction was not what he expected. "They remember you."

Emma took a deep breath and briefly closed her eyes. She didn't want him to see that inside she felt torn. It was everything had suddenly been ripped apart. "That's all well and good, Henry, but I don't remember them. You know, an hour ago, Mary Margaret was my friend. Now she's my mother and not only is she my mother, she is Snow White…" She shook her head and ran her fingers through her hair. "This is just too weird…"

"You'll figure it out," Henry said and his hand found hers before walking up to the diner entrance. "You got this far."

"Yeah," Emma answered as the eyed up the diner Henry had just entered. She pushed her hands into the pockets of her jeans and took the last few steps before pushing against the door. "But what else am I gonna find?"

Everyone looked up when she walked in. Suddenly she was back in High School, the new girl in class. Half way through the year, when everybody already knew each other and nobody trusted the outsider. She'd felt so small and right now that feeling came back. She'd never seen so many sets of eyes staring at her at once, in _that _way. She knew what they were thinking. That she was some kind of hero, a saviour, but how could she be if she didn't feel like one? She wasn't what they thought she was. Her shoulders dropped when she noticed Mary Margaret walk towards her. Gently she took her arm and kind eyes found her own.

"Come," she said as she guided Emma towards one of the booths. "There's a lot to tell you."

Emma reluctantly slipped into the booth next to Henry. David and Mary Margaret sat across from them and Ruby was behind her bar, pouring cups of coffee. Every so often her eyes wound wander in their direction and when she caught Emma's gaze, she smiled.

"So is she really Red Riding Hood?" Emma asked mutely and looked at Henry. "Like, for real?"

"Yeah," Mary Margaret answered. She reached across the table to cover Emma's hand with her own but pulled back when the blonde removed her own hand and dropped into her lap. She managed to hide her hurt and forced herself to smile. "She is. She is also one of my best friends."

"The Curse was broken," Henry said and looked at David. "Everyone remembers who they were but why didn't they go back to the Enchanted Forest?"

"I don't know, buddy," he answered. "Something didn't go the way it should have. When the Curse was cast it sent us all here. When it broke it should have sent us back."

"Back?" Emma asked and arched an eyebrow in surprise. "You mean that, after all of this, you were supposed to leave?"

"That was the idea," David answered. "But something went wrong."

"Wait, wait, wait," Emma began and raised her hands. "The Evil Queen, Regina, cast a curse that condemned you all to a life in Storybrooke without remembering who you were. But I broke the curse..." She paused. "Did you really think she was just going to let you go back to your land, to the other world? That would mean she accomplished nothing. Twenty-eight years wasted."

"Nothing's ever that simple with Regina," Mary Margaret answered.

Emma's eyes narrowed. "Or someone else for that matter."

"What are you saying?"

Emma leant across the table. "Who is the only person darker than Regina?"

"You think he's got something to do with this?" Mary Margaret asked. "Mr Gold? Rumpelstiltskin?"

"If not him, then who? Regina didn't release that cloud."

"There are a lot of things you don't know about Regina, Emma," Mary Margaret said and this time she took her daughter's hand. "She wanted to kill you."

"And when she saw that she accidentally poisoned Henry instead, she stopped," Emma answered. She looked down at Mary Margaret's hand covering her own. She'd often wondered what it would feel like. She'd looked at herself in the mirror more times than she could remember, wondering if she looked like her parents. Now the answer sat across this table and she couldn't see it, or understand it. Her brain wasn't ready to wrap itself around whatever explanations they had.

"What's your name?" she whispered suddenly and realised that, as she spoke, the tears silently chased down her cheeks. She looked up at the man and woman sitting in front of her. They were her parents. "I…I don't know…"

"It's Snow," Mary Margaret answered. "But I'll listen to whatever you call me. Emma."

"Somehow 'mom' feels a little bit awkward."

"They call me Charming but my name really is David, although it was James for quite some time," David said. "I know this is confusing, Emma…"

Her green eyes found his. "You have _no_ idea."

"I do," Mary Margaret answered. "And it's time that we tell you exactly what happened."

* * *

The door swung open before her knuckles had even made contact with the wood. A chill crept down her spine, a quiet warning that she was about to walk into something that was out of her control. She carefully stepped over the threshold and her dark eyes scanned the hallway. She had never set foot in this house before, until now. There was a first time for everything. She brushed her hands along the soft material of her jacket and froze when a floorboard creaked under her boot. Before she could blink the door slammed behind her and she spun around. A familiar sight confronted her and a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"Rumpelstiltskin," she said slowly as she eyed up the man who, until a mere few hours ago had been known as Mr Gold. She cocked her head, suspicion flickering in her eyes. Experience taught her to always remain cautious when in his presence. "You did this, didn't you?"

"Did what, dearie?" he asked. His smile matched hers and he slowly strode towards her.

"You released the magic into Storybrooke," Regina hissed. "How did you do it?"

"You've noticed, have you?" he mocked her. "What else have you noticed?"

She watched him as he walked past her and she followed him into what turned out to be living room. "I gave you everything you wanted, you ungrateful little imp," she hissed. The choice of words was enough to make him turn around and she saw the anger in his eyes. She knew that if she pressed hard enough she'd be able to break through his calm outside demeanour and find the creature that dwelled within. "You did this. You released the magic and you stopped everyone from leaving."

"Did I?" he asked. "Are you sure this is not your own doing, your Majesty?"

"If it was my own doing don't you think I would have given myself the magic too?" Regina snapped and stretched out her hand. She willed herself for the ball of fire to appear but nothing happened. When she first saw the cloud she'd expected the magic to find her eventually but it didn't. When she tried to perform even the simplest of spells, her hands were useless. It didn't take her long to understand there was only one other person who could have released the magic and that same person had every reason not to return it to her.

Rumpelstiltskin grinned. "Ah yes, you would think so, wouldn't you?"

"What have you done?" Regina demanded and took a step in his direction. Her authority was something that would have made others crumble but it didn't work on this opponent. "You did something, didn't you?"

"Shall we say that I… helped… fate a little?" Rumpelstiltskin suggested and noticed the anger flickering in Regina's eyes. He shrugged and let out an almost childish giggle. "Well, if you must know, I released magic into Storybrooke."

"I know that, you fool," Regina hissed. "Why did you do it?"

"Now why would anyone need magic?" he mused out loud, much to her infuriation.

"More importantly, how did you manage to restore your magic but hold on to mine?!"

Rumpelstiltskin shook his head. "Lost our manners, have we?"

"Emma broke the Curse. Everyone should have gone back to the Enchanted Forest," Regina said through gritted teeth. It hadn't been part of the plan to go back there but it was something she'd kept in the back of her mind. When the Curse was broken and nothing changed, she knew something wasn't right. Her eyes narrowed as she studied the creature that she loathed so much more closely. "You did something to our land, didn't you?" She didn't miss the way his eyes moved sideways in an attempt to sever the contact between them. "What did you do?"

"It wasn't me who released the Curse, dearie," Rumpelstiltskin answered. "Don't ask me what I did. Ask me what _you _did."

Regina took a step back and placed her hands on her hips. "You're the one who created this Curse, Rumple. Just in case you forgot."

"Ah, but you took it from me. We made a deal." His eyes narrowed. "And deals can't be broken."

"Tell me what you did," Regina said. There was a hint of fear in her voice now. Without magic she was weak. The whole town knew who she was, what she had done, and eventually they'd come looking for her. She needed to know what happened, where it went wrong and this annoying little piece of crap could tell her. She clenched her jaw and reached out her hand. Perfectly manicured blood red nails were only a couple of inches away from his chest. "Tell me what you did or I swear I'm going to…"

"Rip out my heart?" he finished her sentence. "I think we both know you can't do it." He turned away from her, circled the couch and sat down. He rested his hands on the cane he used to walk and from this position he looked up to the woman who had once been the most powerful and feared Queen in all the lands. Now she looked weak, bordering on broken, as she realised that everything she had was about to slip away from her. Desperation did strange things to people. Perhaps it was even crueller than love.

"You have my magic," Regina stated and she folded her arms across her chest. "I want it back."

"Of course, dearie," Rumpelstiltskin replied. "But you know that nothing ever comes without a price." He arched an eyebrow. "Not even for you, Your Majesty."

"If I do what you say you'll give me back my magic?" Regina asked. She suspiciously eyed him up. Ever since their paths first crossed she knew she couldn't trust a single hair on his head. "What's in it for you?"

"I can give you everything," Rumpelstiltskin said slowly. He saw the glimmer of hope in her eyes but he too knew that Regina was a worthy opponent. She had tried to outsmart him before but although she failed, he knew not to put too much trust in her. In some ways, they were not that different from each other. Trust and honesty meant nothing. "I can give you your magic, both here in Storybrooke as well as the Enchanted Forest…" His eyes found hers. "I can give you Henry."

"Henry?" Regina whispered and her eyes welled up at the thought of her son. He was with Emma but she wanted nothing more than for him to be with her. "You can give me Henry?"

"I can give you everything."

She swallowed. "You didn't tell me what's in it for you."

"We'll come to that," Rumpelstiltskin answered and slowly stood up. He circled her, like a hunter circled its prey. "Look at you. You've got nothing. No power, no magic. You're weak. Imagine how they'd cower if you got your magic back. You could make them fall to their knees. I can give you everything _she _took from you."

Regina's head snapped to the left. "Snow White?"

"Emma."

Her breath hitched at the mention of the blonde sheriff. "What will it take?"

Rumpelstiltskin reached into the pocket of his jacket and fingered an object Regina could not see. A grin spread across his face.

"A sacrifice."


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: **Hey guys, thanks for welcoming me into the OUAT world and thank you for all your reviews, follows and favourites. It means a lot. Now, a large part of the next scene was inspired by two different scenes from two different episodes. One was _2x1 Broken_, the other _2x7 Child of the Moon_. I'm sure you'll see why.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Darkness descended upon Storybrooke and once the last few rays of sunshine had disappeared behind the tallest trees in the forest, thousands of stars glistened against an ink black backdrop. Across town people returned to their houses, their minds still reeling with the discovery of finding out whom they were. The initial fear had begun to subside but in its place came to the question and Emma found herself as confused as the people who'd been living here for years as she walked the quiet streets, her hands deeply in the pockets of her jeans.

She'd just left Granny's diner after spending the last few hours learning about her parents; lives in the other world, the world where she was born. Now she knew how Regina had cast the Dark Curse and transported them all to the land without magic, trapping them in time here in Storybrooke. She learnt the stories about what it took for Snow White and Charming to finally find each other. The one thing had held all of it together, every single story they told her, was love. Love and hope. Even in the tales about Regina, about how she became to be what she was, still echoed the longing of hope. Emma hadn't seen the mayor since she left the hospital earlier that day. She'd seemed so broken; nothing like the vicious picture Mary Margaret had painted.

Emma's mind was spinning. She was the child of one of the most well-known fairy tale characters ever. She remembered reading the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves when she was a little girl. She'd found the book in a classroom once and spent the next two days reading it. She could relate to Snow's time in the woods alone before finding the dwarves. She'd been abandoned too.

All her life she'd wondered about whom her parents were, what reasons they had to leave her when she was just an infant. She imagined a torn teenage girl, not even old enough to drive a car, or someone so addicted to drugs that they couldn't cope with a child. For a long time her heart would skip a beat whenever there was a knock on the door, half and half expecting to find a woman outside claiming to be her mother. The moment never came. The foster care system hadn't seemed like such a bad place at first, but when one family followed the next she quickly realised that nobody was going to look out for her but her. If she didn't take care of herself, nobody else would. She learnt to survive because it was the only way she could cope.

She turned a corner and found herself wandering down another road. The wind picked up, whipping her blonde locks along her face. She zipped up her red leather jacket and huddled a little deeper inside to protect herself from the cold. It wasn't until she looked up that she realised where she was. At the end of the road was Regina's house. Somehow her footsteps had led her here.

A loud snap made her look to her right and she frowned as she spotted moving lights in the distance. Her green eyes narrowed and briefly flashed from Regina's house back to the lights and she needed a couple of seconds before she could make out the silhouettes of people. They were walking with torches in their hands, brooms and baseball bats. There appeared to be only five or six of them but as the group came closer Emma realised there were more, maybe twenty. Without thinking she sprinted towards them and forced the guy leading the group to a stop.

"What are you doing?" she breathed. "Where are you going?"

"To kill the Queen," was the answer and he pushed Emma aside. She staggered over her own feet and turned just in time to see the first of the mob reach the gate around Regina's house.

"EMMA!"

She looked up when she recognised Mary Margaret's voice. She, David and Ruby were running down the other side of the road towards her. As Mary Margaret made her way over to her daughter, David and Ruby attempted to catch up with the angry crowd. The woman who was her mother wrapped both her arms protectively around her and pulled her towards her.

"What's happening?" Mary Margaret breathed as looked at Regina's house at the end of the road. "What do they want?"

"They want Regina," Emma breathed as she began dragging Mary Margaret towards the house. The flames from their torches reflected in her eyes. "They're going to kill her."

The door was shattered with an almighty bang and the wood splinters rained down upon all who were present. Voices echoed through the night as the crowd stormed into the house. Someone dropped their torch and the flames almost immediately began eating away at one of the curtains. Within mere seconds the room began to fill with smoke as the fire spread.

"We have to stop them!" Ruby cried as she and David pushed their way through the crowd. They now stood in the living area but it was empty. Around them people ran into different directions, most of them shouting abuse at the Queen. The sound of their footsteps thundered up the stairs. Ornaments were thrown and debris littered the floor.

"Stop!" Emma shouted as she ran into the house. Nobody listened. They were so consumed by their hatred and their desire for revenge that they were deaf to her pleas. They kept running past her, blindly following the men before them. Most of them made their way up the staircase leading to the first floor and Emma didn't hesitate. She ran after them, leaving a somewhat confused Mary Margaret at the bottom step.

The loud cheering betrayed what had happened before she saw it with her own eyes. When Emma reached the top of the stairs she froze in her tracks. Four men dragged Regina from the master bedroom by her arms. She didn't kick or scream. In fact, her face was emotionless. She didn't fight back at all. She turned her head just in time to see Emma appear at the top of the stairs but then one of the men pulled her so hard that she groaned in pain.

"STOP!" Emma bellowed and now the crowd looked up. She walked towards them, her sheriff badge still clearly visible on her belt. She pushed her jacket aside and pulled her gun from its holster. With a soft click it became very clear that she wasn't going to let them get away with this. "Don't do this!"

"Do you have any idea what she has done?" one of the men shouted. He held a torch and was dressed in the uniform of a postman. His hair was black as the night itself and his eyes blue like the deepest ocean. Anger was written across his face, contorting into a mask of pure hatred. "She did this to us. She cursed every single one of us. If it were the other way around she wouldn't hesitate to kill us!"

"I know what she did…"

"You don't know half of what she's done!"

"Okay," Emma admitted. "Maybe I don't but that doesn't make this right."

"The only thing that will make this right is to have her head separated from her body!" the declared and the crowd erupted in a wild cheer.

They moved forward with Regina locked in between them before Emma could react. Someone shoved her out of the way followed by someone else pushing her against the banister so hard that she almost lost her balance and fell over. When her head snapped up and she spun around she caught the men letting go of Regina and Emma looked on in horror how her body tumbled down the stairs.

"No!" Emma breathed as she stared down over the railing to see Regina's motionless body lying at the bottom of the stairs. She forced herself a way through the crowd that was now slowly making its way down and managed to reach Regina before they did. She turned around on the bottom step and stared up at the faces of the men and women who had been living in Storybrooke. She understood their anger but she couldn't condone what they were about to do.

One of the men took a step towards her and waved his torch in her face. She felt the heat of the flames against her skin. "Step aside, Sherriff. This is _our _kind of judgment."

"That may be so but this is still _my_ town and I'm still Sherriff," Emma bit back. She took the last step down the stairs and kneeled down next to Regina. Blazing eyes snapped back up to the angry mob as she draped a protective arm around Regina and pulled the raven haired woman towards her. Worry settled in her chest when Regina didn't respond. "If you want revenge on Regina, you're going to have to go through me to get it."

"You're protecting her?"

"Nobody else will," Emma answered. She let her eyes wander across the crowd, trying to take in as many of the angry faces as she could. "Look, I get why you're doing this. Really, I do, but this isn't the way. Regina may have done wrong but she has also done right and she doesn't deserve what you're doing." She swallowed and a hint of sadness laced her voice. "Back in your land she was the Evil Queen but here…"

"Here she is just Regina," Mary Margaret finished her daughter's sentence and the crowd turned around in surprise. She'd stepped forward and stared at the mob. "Let her go."

For several minutes there was a tense silence as the crowd seemed to consider what Emma and Mary Margaret had said. They shared looks that spoke more than a thousand words ever could and after what felt like an eternity the leader made a single hand gesture and the crowd began to disperse. As they left Regina's house they left behind the chaos and devastation they had caused. The flames in the curtains had died down but the walls were blackened and covered in soot. Glass and other debris littered the floor and the front door had been torn off its hinges.

"Is she allright?" Ruby asked as she kneeled down next to Emma and gently reached out to touch Regina's arm.

Emma nodded. "I think so." Her eyes scanned the mess around them and came to a rest on where the door had been. A cold gust of wind ruffled her hair and a chill crept down her spine. Regina's house was ruined. "She can't stay here. They may come back."

"Where do we take her?" David asked.

"Granny's," Emma suggested. "She can stay at the Bed & Breakfast." She stood up and looked at David. He seemed to understand what she was about to ask before she even spoke the words. She seemed unsure, shy almost. "I… I can't carry her… Can you…"

David scooped Regina up into his arms and the group left the house. Emma looked back over her shoulder as they made their way down the narrow path leading to the gate. She remembered the night she first arrived here, believing she was bringing a confused little boy back to his mother. It felt like a lifetime ago, and in a way it was. She remembered the moment Regina had opened the door. At that moment she had felt a loathing for her, a loathing that had only grown stronger the longer she stayed in Storybrooke but things had changed since then. She wasn't the same Emma anymore. Nobody here was the same anymore, nor would they ever be.

The walk across town to the Bed & Breakfast was short and Ruby unlocked the front door when they reached the building. She led David up the stairs to one of the spare rooms after making sure the door through which they had entered was locked. The last thing they needed was for the mob to find out this was where they had taken Regina.

Once David and Rub had gone Emma turned to Mary Margaret. "Where's Henry?" she wanted to know.

"We told him to stay at Granny's when we heard the mob going to Regina's house."

"Take him home with you," Emma said softly. She wanted nothing more than to be with her son but this wasn't the place. She didn't want him to see Regina like this. "Keep him with you tonight. Don't tell him what happened to Regina. I don't want him to know."

Mary Margaret searched her daughter's face. "Where will you go?"

"Someone needs to stay here and keep an eye on Regina," Emma explained and looked over her shoulder towards the stairs. The floorboards creaked over their heads. Ruby and David had clearly entered one of the rooms. "After everything she's done, that's not something I'd ask of you."

"I understand."

Emma nodded. "Thank you."

She began climbing the stairs and with every step she took her heartbeat became a little louder. Only now did she began to think about what it was she had done. She had thrown herself between Regina and an angry mob to protect the other woman. The more she thought about, the crazier it seemed. When she reached the top she found Ruby and David leaving the room at the far end of the corridor. Ruby quickly walked over to her and put a hand on Emma's arm. Their eyes found each other.

"If you need anything, I'll be right downstairs, ok? All you have to do is call."

"Thanks, Ruby," Emma said softly. She watched the pair go downstairs and waited till they were gone before walking to the room at the end of the hall. The door was slightly ajar and she carefully stepped onto the room. The curtains were drawn, banning whatever little light came from outside. The bedside lamp was on and cast a faint orange glow around the room. Emma quietly closed the door behind her and walked over to the arm chair at the other end of the room. She pulled it closer to the bed and she flinched as its legs scraped across the floor. Her eyes snapped up to the bed.

Regina lay on her back, her dark hair sprawled out across the white pillow. A purple bruise started to form across her right cheek and some dried blood clung to a cut on her forehead. Her blouse was torn and two of the buttons appeared to be missing but other than that Regina seemed unhurt. She seemed strangely peaceful, in an almost disturbing way, Emma thought. She'd never seen her like this before but she knew, deep down, that this woman was responsible for a large part of their misery and she wasn't going to let a single wave of compassion change that view.

She resisted waking Regina to check she was indeed okay, telling herself that checking any injuries could wait till morning. There wasn't much she could do now anyway.

Emma picked up a blanket form the blanket box and put her feet up on the end of the bed, making herself as comfortable as possible in an old arm chair. She managed to roll slightly on her side, folded her arm under her head and let her eyes trail over Regina's frame one last time before closing them. Emma took a few deep breaths in an attempt to clear her mind of everything that had happened today and eventually allowed herself to drift off into a light and dreamless slumber.

~()~

The slight shift in weight was enough to wake her. Emma's eyes snapped open when she felt the mattress move beneath her feet and her head whipped up. The blanket that lay draped around her fell to the floor as she sat up, just in time to see Regina doing the same. For a second they stared at each other in confusion, momentarily not remembering what had brought them to this place, but then the memories dawned on both of them.

"Miss Swan," Regina said coolly as she carefully swung her legs over the side of the bed.

Emma got up from her chair and walked around the bed but kept a safe distance nevertheless. She made sure not to invade Regina's personal space. If there was one thing she knew about this woman it was that she was unpredictable. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," Regina answered. She spoke through gritted teeth and Emma could tell with just one look that the mayor was lying. Regina's dark eyes snapped up when she felt Emma's gaze on her and those intense orbs narrowed the longer the studied the Sherriff's face. "What happened?"

"I…" Emma began but broke off the sentence. She pushed her hands into the back pockets of her jeans and turned away from the bed. She crossed the room to the window and stared out through the glass. Storybrooke looked strangely peaceful this morning. Nothing out there suggested that something had happened only the day before. She took a deep breath. "There was a mob, Regina. They came to your house and…"

Regina watched the blonde woman standing at the other side of the room. Slowly the memories came back to her, albeit blurred. Memories from this life, in Storybrooke, mixed with flashes from a life many years ago. So many of the faces had been the same both last night and on another occasion in a different time and place. She'd seen that hatred before, reflecting in their eyes as they'd gathered around to watch her execution. She pushed herself off the bed and reached for the wall in support. "They came to kill me."

"Yes," Emma answered and turned around just enough to see Regina stand up. She didn't know what to think or feel as she watched the dark haired woman slowly take an unsteady step followed by a second and then a third. Whatever pride and arrogance Regina had once had seemed to have evaporated. She resisted coming to her aid, knowing that Regina wouldn't thank her for it and instead looked back out of the window. Outside the town slowly came to life. "They failed."

"Because you stopped them," Regina said slowly.

"I guess I did."

"Why?"

Emma's head snapped up. Blazing green eyes found brown. "You'd rather I'd let them kill you?"

"No," Regina admitted. Her face remained stoic but it seemed she couldn't maintain the eye contact and she looked down at the floor. "But that would have been the easier option."

"Easier for whom?"

"Everyone."

Emma's teeth worried her bottom lip. She peered back at Regina through her eyelashes. "Well, I'm not everyone."

Regina's eyes remained fixed on the Sherriff's slender frame. "I can see that."

She took a few more steps and reached the end of the bed. She clung to the metal frame to keep herself upright and rubbed her side when she sharp shot of pain caught her by surprise. A groan of discomfort escaped her as the pain spread through her bod. Regina hissed as she pulled up her shirt to reveal deep purple brushing spreading across her pale flesh. She looked down at herself, seemingly surprised that she was hurt. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen bruises on herself like this.

"I'll ask Ruby to get you some ice for those," Emma said when she saw the marks across Regina's skin. She walked away from the window and crossed the room before holding still in front of the older woman, quietly waiting for Regina to accept her help. She was surprised to see a hint of kindness return to Regina's face. "You may want to take it easy for a couple of days. Bruised ribs hurt like a bitch."

"It's fine," Regina said as she dropped her shirt, covering her skin back up. "I've dealt with worse."

"Whatever you say, Madam Mayor," Emma replied sharply and she started for the door. She turned around to look back at Regina before leaving and when she noticed how she leant on the bed for support she took a deep breath. She wasn't sure what came over her but the question just rolled out. "I'm going to get some coffee and breakfast from Granny's. Do you… do you want me to bring you something?"

Regina looked up. The request surprised her. "Thank you," she answered and Emma just nodded and turned back around to leave. When Regina spoke again she froze, letting the words sink in. "For everything."

Emma went back downstairs and found Ruby at the front desk. She looked up when she heard her and smiled. "How's Regina?"

"Bruised and battered but otherwise she's still her usual charming self," Emma answered and her voice dropped with sarcasm as a smirk spread across Ruby's face. "You mind keeping an eye on her while I go get breakfast?"

"Sure thing."

"Thanks, Ruby."

Emma walked out of the Bed & Breakfast and onto the streets of Storybrooke. It seemed people had woken up to the realisation that this was what their life was now. Shops opened again and small groups of people were talking to each other on the corners of the street. The curse had been broken and although they had not returned to their land, they were alive and to most of them that was all that mattered. It was what mattered to Emma, regardless of how weird her life had suddenly become. She was the child of fairy tale characters. She couldn't have imagined her life becoming any crazier after Henry came into her life but it turned out she'd been wrong.

It had become a hell of a lot crazier and it wasn't about to end.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note:** Remember chapter 1?

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Emma left Granny's diner with two cups of coffee to go and a bag of pastries. As she paid for the items she ordered she'd suddenly realised she didn't know what Regina liked and, knowing the other woman's unpredictability, she'd been left wondering if she was doing the right thing. In the end she'd just opted for two black coffees, taking the cream and sugar with her, and a couple of pastries. Granny put the items in a bag and looked up at the blonde Sherriff.

"That was an admirable thing you did last night," she said as she handed her the bag. "Many others would have happily let Regina die."

Emma chewed the inside of her cheek. "I… I'm not sure what came over me," she admitted and she looked down at a small coffee stain on the counter. She'd replayed the scenes in her mind over and over since waking up and on her way to the diner she'd even stopped to look down the road where Regina's house was. In daylight it was clear to see how much damage had been done.

"You know," Granny said as a smile spread across her face. "It wasn't the first time someone spared Regina's life." When Emma looked up at her in surprise she knowingly raised an eyebrow. There were a lot of things that she had yet to know and understand. "The apple didn't far from the tree."

"You mean my mom…" Emma hesitated and realised immediately that this was a story that had not been shared with her the previous night. "Mary Margaret..." Another pause. "You mean she…"

"A long time ago, before you were even born," Granny replied. "Back in our land, Regina was about to be executed when your mother spoke out and spared her life. What she did back then and what you did tonight are not as different as you may think. There are many people in this town who have no faith in Regina, Emma. They have suffered a lot because of her." The older woman took a deep breath. "But I've learnt many things throughout my life, not least because of Red, so maybe you're right. Maybe she is just Regina here."

"Yeah," Emma answered and took the bag of pastries and coffees from the counter. "Maybe."

She left the diner and walked back to the Bed & Breakfast. It was still early and most people weren't even awake yet. There diner had been empty apart from her but in an hour from now it would be full of people, most of who would undoubtedly be talking about what happened the previous day. The more she thought about it, the more she couldn't understand why she'd saved Regina. The one question she couldn't answer concerned the magic that had come to Storybrooke. If it was here, why hadn't Regina used it to help herself last night?

Emma walked into the Bed & Breakfast and found Ruby behind the front desk. The younger woman gave her a beaming smile.

"She still up there?" Emma asked.

Ruby nodded. "I heard the floorboards creak."

Emma hesitated and before climbing the stairs to the first floor she paused. "Did you think I did the right thing last night?" she asked as she turned back around to look at Ruby. "Should I have let her die?"

"You know what I am, right?" Ruby asked and Emma tentatively nodded. "Even in our land people aren't keen on wolves. When wolfs time came, everyone would be frightened. They'd light their torches and get their pitch forks, looking for the monster responsible." Her voice changed and her eyes betrayed her sadness. "So do I think that sometimes people are too quick to judge, yes. But I also understand why they do it, Emma, and when it comes to Regina I definitely understand. I know what she did to Snow and Charming and to so many others. But what happened last night doesn't make them any better than the terrified villagers looking for a monster during wolf's time."

Emma smiled, feeling a little more reassured. "Thanks, Ruby."

"What're you going to do now?" she wanted to know. "I mean, she can stay here for as long as she needs to but knowing Regina, she isn't going to accept that offer."

"I…I don't know," Emma said and frowned to herself. "I don't think I've thought about it."

She slowly climbed the stairs to the first floor and walked down to the end of the hallway. The door to Regina's room was closed and she raised her hand to knock. As her knuckles rapped against the wood she was struck by the realisation that something like this had happened before. As the door opened and she looked up into Regina's eyes she was reminded of the morning Regina had come here looking for her, offering her an apple before telling her to leave Storybrooke. Now Regina was the one in the room and she was the one outside but when she noticed the dark look on the other woman's face she knew nothing had changed.

"I brought coffee," Emma said and held up the bag in her hand. Regina's face remained stoic. "May I come in?"

The dark haired woman silently stepped aside and Emma filed past her. Regina closed the door and turned around with her hand still on the doorknob. Emma didn't sit down. She was very aware of Regina's presence. Instead she left the cup of coffee and the pastries on the small desk against the wall and didn't turn to look at the older woman immediately.

"Thank you," Regina said, cutting the silence that lingered between them. "Emma."

She turned around at the mention of her name, having grown used to Regina referring to her as Miss Swan or Sherriff Swan. Her green eyes flashed up to Regina's face. The bruise had only become darker and looked unsightly and painful. She silently chastised herself for forgetting the ice. "I'll go get some ice for your face," she said.

"I don't think it's going to change anything," Regina stated. She'd walked to the mirror and inspected her own reflection. "It's too late now."

Emma leant against the desk she'd left the coffee and pastries on and after watching Regina for another minute or so she took a deep breath. "Can I ask you something?"

Regina turned away from the mirror, a light smile gracing her lips. "Don't be shy, Miss Swan." She cocked an eyebrow and folded her arms in front of her chest. "You never are."

Emma ignored the jibe. "There's magic in Storybrooke now, right?" Her eyes briefly snapped up to meet Regina's and she could tell the mayor knew what she was about to ask but wasn't going to answer before she'd spoken the words. "So why didn't you use it last night?" She hesitated. "I mean, you're…"

"The Evil Queen?" Regina interjected and slowly she walked across the room towards the window. She was now only a couple of steps away from Emma. "If you must know, Miss Swan, when the magic was brought to Storybrooke, it was brought only in one particular way to one particular person." She gave the Sherriff a sideways glance. "I think we both know who that person is."

"Gold," Emma answered. Her instincts from the previous night had proven to be right. "He brought the magic back?"

"He brought his _own _magic back," Regina clarified.

Emma frowned as she began to understand what Regina was saying. "You can't do magic?"

Regina extended her hand and willed the ball of fire to appear but nothing happened. The palm of her hand remained empty. When her eyes found Emma she could tell the blonde believed her. The surprise was etched across her face. She dropped her arm by her side and her eyes darkened with anger. "It seems that Mr Gold deemed it appropriate to take what he once gave me."

"Gold taught you how to use magic?" Emma was confused. There were so many things she didn't know about the land where her parents and everyone else had come from.

"You didn't know," Regina observed. Her eyes lingered on the blonde Sherriff's frame. "Let me guess; they only told you their side of the story."

"They? You mean my parents?"

"And everyone else in this town."

"Why?" Emma wanted to know. "What has Gold got to gain from not giving you magic?"

"For one, it leaves him the most powerful person in Storybrooke. He controls everything now," Regina answered. "He knows what not having my powers would mean to me if this moment ever came." She slowly walked over to Emma and reached past her to pick up the cup of coffee. She clutched the plastic cup between her hands and let her dark orbs travel up to meet Emma's green. "Gold's been planning this for a long time, Miss Swan. Now that the curse is broken he's the one in control here, not me."

Emma took a deep breath. "What would it take for you to get your powers back?"

"I don't want them back," Regina deadpanned.

Emma blinked in surprise. "You don't?"

The raven haired woman shook her head. "I've seen what magic did to Henry," she said softly and walked back to the bed. She sat down, her face briefly betraying the pain she was in as it scrounged up into a mask of discomfort. She fingered the cup in her hand, playing with the lid. "I've had a lot of time to think, Miss Swan." She briefly glanced up. "Emma." Her eyes snapped back down. "What I did to Henry…" Her voice broke and a lonely tear chased down her cheek. "I let my own desires cloud my judgment as a mother. Henry got caught in the crossfire and he died because of it."

"So you're saying you don't want to use magic anymore?" Emma asked. "The Evil Queen's giving up her powers?"

Regina's eyes swam with tears when she looked up. "I can try."

"Why?" Emma whispered and she placed her hand on the metal frame of the bed. It felt cold against her flesh. "Why now?"

"Because of Henry," Regina answered. "I lost him once. I don't want to lose him again."

Emma's mind was spinning. She turned away from Regina and had to hold on to the bed frame as not to sink down to the floor. The whole world as she had known it seemed to have changed in a blink of the eye. None of the people she'd gotten to know were the same anymore, including Regina. She looked back over her shoulder at the woman sitting on the bed and without speaking she started for the door. Her movement startled Regina, who looked up. When she noticed Emma about to open the door she stood up.

"Where're you going?"

"I… I don't know," Emma answered and stepped out of the room. She couldn't look back and left without making eye contact. "But I can't stay here."

~()~

"What do you mean, Regina's giving up magic?!" Mary Margaret asked. She stood in the small kitchen of her loft apartment and was in the process of making pancakes. Glasses of fresh orange juice stood on the breakfast table and it was set for four people. It was as if she'd expected Emma to turn up this morning.

"She just said that she doesn't want her powers back," Emma explained. "When I asked her why she said she doesn't want to hurt Henry any more than she already has."

"She's up to something," David chimed in from the bedroom. "All Regina's ever cared about is power."

"She said something interesting," Emma pointed out. "Something about only being told one side of the story." Her eyes darted from Mary Margaret to David and back. "Yours."

"Regina's got a story of her own but there's a time and place for that," Mary Margaret said. She flipped the pancake over in the pan and looked up at her daughter. She still couldn't quite believe they were all here, in the same room, as a family. For months she'd live with Emma without knowing that she was her daughter. But now here they were, in a new world full of old memories. "If there's one thing I know about Regina then it's that she never does anything without gaining something from it. She'll do anything to destroy other people's happiness."

Emma leant against the kitchen counter and stared down at the floor. "But what if she just wants happiness of her own?"

"Regina?" David said. "Regina's only happy if everyone else is miserable."

"But she raised Henry. She adopted him when he was a baby. What other reason could she have had other than that she wanted to be a mother?" Emma asked. She knew Henry had never really been happy with Regina but throughout his life he hadn't really missed out on anything. She'd fed him, clothed him, nursed him when he was sick and saw to his education by sending him to school. It wasn't until he was given the book that Henry began to see what was really happening in Storybrooke but up till that moment he'd just been a normal boy. She took a deep breath. "Regina says she's trying to make a difference for Henry. What if she's really trying to change?"

"Would she still be willing to change if Gold had given her magic?" Mary Margaret asked. "Or would she be trying to kill us all over again?" She took the pancake out of the pan and put it on a plate. "Have you forgotten that only two days ago she tried to kill you by feeding you the same poisonous apple that put me to sleep?"

"No," Emma countered and ran her fingers through her hair. She felt a sense of desperation in the pit of her stomach. "But Henry ate the apple instead and he died because of it."

"That's Regina's fault, not yours," David reminded her.

"Maybe," Emma mused. Her eyes fixed on Mary Margaret. "What can you tell me about Regina?" When her mother looked up in surprise she clarified herself. "Besides the obvious, I mean. She wasn't born the Evil Queen, was she? What happened that made her the way she is?"

"The same thing that happens to most people at some point in their lives," David answered before his wife got the chance. "Her heart was broken and after that it died." He sounded bitter and his eyes reflected his anger. "Regina doesn't have a heart, Emma. Don't believe a word she says. Its lies. Whatever she says, she says it because she wants something. Take my word for it. No one believes the Evil Queen."

"But she's not the Evil Queen here," Emma said, hoping that at least some of what she'd said was going to get through to her parents. "She's Regina."

David's eyes found his daughter's and it seemed her words had fallen onto deaf ears. "We don't believe her either."

"Mom?"

Everyone looked up when Harry appeared in the kitchen. He looked tired and his hair was messy but the way he looked at them told Emma had the had overheard at least part of their conversation. The boy's eyes darted from Emma to David and then Mary Margaret. "What's going on?"

"Henry, I think we need to talk," Emma said slowly and pushed herself away from the counter. Mary Margaret attempted to take her hand and stop her but she was too late and with a look of regret and disappointed she let her daughter go.

Emma grabbed the leather jacket she'd draped over the back of one of the chairs and started for the door. Her son was quick to catch up and she opened the door for him. "C'mon, kid."

She took him outside and they walked along the street until they came across a bench, not far from the Bed & Breakfast. Emma sat down and Henry sat next to her. His eyes were fixed on her and she fumbled with her hands as she tried to come up with the right words to say to him. "How did you hear?" she asked, giving him a sideways glance.

"You said that my mom, Regina, doesn't want to use magic anymore," Henry said. There was a hint of hope in his voice and it struck Emma. For months he had believed that Regina was the Evil Queen, and he had been proven right, but she'd seen that somewhere he did care for her. She was the woman who raised him and for all her flaws, she'd done some things right. "Is that true? She's not going to use magic anymore?"

Emma sighed. "When the curse was broken Mr Gold brought magic back to Storybrooke but he didn't bring Regina's magic back, only his own. She can't use magic even if she wanted to, Henry, because she hasn't got it." She chewed her lip. "Last night some people went to her house."

"I heard your mom talk to your dad last night," Henry said and Emma's stomach flipped at the description of David and Mary Margaret. It still felt weird to hear them being described as her parents. Henry, however, seemed oblivious to this. "Mary Margaret said they went to kill my mom."

Emma was struck by his choice of words. Throughout all of this he had continued to refer to both of them as his mom, though sometimes he'd told Regina she wasn't really his mom. It told her something about the way he saw them, what they both meant to him, and whether she liked it or not, she and Regina were both Henry's mom. Regina had filled the void she left behind but she hadn't been able to give Henry what he really wanted; his biological mother.

"I guess not everyone has quite come to terms with the fact that things in Storybrooke aren't the same as they were…wherever it was they used to be before," Emma said slowly. "I spoke to her earlier, Henry, and she told me she doesn't want to use magic anymore because when she did, you got hurt. She doesn't want that to happen again."

"Do you believe her?" Henry wanted to know.

"I think that when it comes to your kid, you'd do just about anything," Emma answered. It had proven true since she came to Storybrooke but until the day Henry knocked on her door, she had only thought of him. She'd never looked for him because she feared that her life would change. She glanced down the road, in the general direction of the Bed & Breakfast. "Does that mean I believe her? Time will tell. I just know that right now, nobody believes her. But I'd like to think people can change. I did." She paused and glanced at her son. "Before you came into my life, I was a different person. People can change if the circumstances are right and if Regina really wants you to stay in her life and for you to be safe, she'll have to change. She doesn't have a choice. Nobody knows what's coming now that the curse has been broken. We're going to have to stick together."

"Can I see her?" Henry asked.

"Maybe after breakfast," Emma answered and stood up. She forced herself to smile and pressed any thoughts or worries about Regina to the back of her mind. "Mary Margaret baked those pancakes especially for you, you know."

Henry grinned. "Can I have cream on mine?"

"Sure," Emma smiled as she watched how her son's eyes lit up. She never considered herself to be parent material and she was never going to win the Mother of the Year award but she could try do her best and that was all. She wrapped an arm around Henry's shoulders and they began making their way home. "But make sure to brush your teeth after, ok?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's note: **Would you guys mind letting me know if I am on the right track with this story? I am still kind of in the dark on whether I am getting things right and I'd like to hear your thoughts on how it's going. AIlso, I've made a video to go with this story. It can be find on YouTube. /watch?v=f3jHODqpf7o

* * *

**Chapter 4**

The day had been largely spent sitting around the apartment, talking. By the time darkness fell she was sick of her own voice. In fact, she was more than sick of it. She had enough. But it wasn't until Henry went to bed and she made sure he was allright that she realised just how fed up she was. When she descended down the stairs back into the kitchen she found Mary Margaret and David still sitting at the table. The candles they'd lit just before dinner, five hours ago, had almost burnt down. Even from where she stood Emma could see the concern etched across their faces.

"What?" she asked when David looked up and met her gaze.

"We've been talking…"

"That's all we've done today," Emma interjected and raised her hands into the air in an act of surrender and desperation. "All we've done is talk and still we're no further than where we were before." She shook her head. "The curse is broken. Everyone remembers who they were. Regina has no magic. We're safe. I don't see what the problem is."

"The problem is that we're still here, in Storybrooke, and we don't know how to get back to our land," David said. He sounded agitated. "We need to know what Gold plans to do with his newfound magic and we need to find a way to get back to the Enchanted Forest."

"You really want to leave here?" Emma asked. "You want to leave Storybrooke?" Her eyes flashed to Mary Margaret, who was staring at the table. "Do you want to go back, too?"

"Emma…"

"No," she cut her mother off. "I don't want to talk about this now. Tomorrow morning we'll go to Gold, see what his plans are. But he has Belle now. He has found his true love. Isn't that was breaks any spell, according to you? She remembers who she is. Isn't she supposed to make him some kind of better person? Who knows, he may not be planning something at all!"

"You're giving Rumpelstiltskin too much credit. He never does anything without gaining something from it himself," David said sharply. "We need to find a way back to the Enchanted Forest and then everyone can make up their own minds about whether they want to come or not."

"And Regina?" Emma asked. Her voice was constricted with tears she couldn't explain. "You plan on bringing her too or are you leaving her here?"

"We can't bring her back. If we take her back to our land then she'll regain her magic. She can do unspeakable things to us there," Mary Margaret protested. "Even if we were to find a way back, Regina can never come with us. She doesn't belong there anymore."

"Have you ever considered whether you still belong there?" Emma said and Mary Margaret's eyes snapped up to meet her daughter's. The blonde was only a few steps from the door. Her eyes were wide and alive with all kinds of emotions. Anger, confusion, frustration… they all flashed by and were all there for her mother to see. She pushed her hands into the pocket s of her jeans and moved from one foot onto the other. "Have you ever wondered where home is now?"

"Emma, I'm sorry," Mary Margaret said softly and she stood up. She rounded her table and walked over to her daughter. She gently placed her hands on Emma's arms and made eye contact. Tears glistened in her own eyes, matching the ones she saw in her daughter's. "I think we've all been a little overwhelmed since the curse was broken."

"You talk about ogres, princes and kings as if it's normal," Emma said and carefully shrugged herself free from her mother's touch. She wanted to be free again and right now she felt trapped. She wasn't sued to having people care for her like this and the feelings were beginning to leave her uncomfortable. "I've lived a life where I learnt that fairy tales aren't true. I grew up in the world of foster homes, Christmases without presents and guns instead of swords. The only ogre I've ever known was the matron in the children's home when I was six." She looked up at her mother and sighed. "The world you're talking about is your world, not mine."

"I understand," Mary Margaret said softy. "I know you need time, Emma. But we're just so happy that we've found you and that we're all back together again. You saved us." She searched her daughter's face. "You've saved all of us."

"Including Regina," Emma said and her eyes narrowed a little. "But you know everything about sparing Regina's life, don't you?"

David stood up too. "What did she tell you?"

"She didn't tell me anything," Emma replied. "It was Granny who told me about Regina's planned execution." She looked at Mary Margaret. "You did the same thing I did. You spared her life."

"And look where it got us," Mary Margaret countered. "Because I spared her, we all ended up in this curse. You could ask yourself if feeling compassion for her and hoping there was just a small amount of good left in her is what got us into that trouble." She straightened her spine and lifted up her chin with pride. "Maybe what I did was wrong."

Emma swallowed hard. "I thought there was no darkness inside you?" she asked and the expression on Mary Margaret's face fell. Emma averted her eyes and opened the door. Her shoulders dropped, betraying the heavy weight of confusion bearing down on her. "I don't know what to think anymore. Maybe… maybe I just need some time."

She was already halfway down the stairs by the time Mary Margaret caught up with her. She took Emma's arm, forcing her to turn around. Fear flickered in her eyes. "Where are you going?" she wanted to know.

"I… I am just…" Emma began and she sighed. "I'm just going to walk this off, okay?" She looked at her mother and covered Mary Margaret's hand with own, gently sliding her fingers from her arm. She turned away and continued down the stairs, leaving the other woman with no other choice than to walk away. The sound of her footsteps on the wooden staircase faded out as she disappeared from sight.

Emma walked out of the building and into the cool evening air. She inhaled deeply, allowing the fresh air to fill her lungs. Her warm breath created small clouds and she felt the cold cut through her clothes. She looked down the road. The shops were all closed and most of the houses were dark. There was nobody around at this time of night and her eyes briefly darted to the clock. It was just after ten o'clock. She looked back at the building behind her and contemplated going back inside but she shook the feeling off and started walking.

She played the conversation between her, Mary Margaret and David over again in her head. David seemed set on going back to the Enchanted Forest. He wanted to go back the life he led before Storybrooke. She's sensed the same attitude amongst a lot of the people living in this town but she couldn't imagine what it had to be like to go there. She didn't know any land other than the one she lived in now. The idea of sharing her life with ogres, dragons and unicorns seemed to border on being ridiculous. Did she even want to leave? She paused in her step as the thought hit her. Undoubtedly her parents would expect her to come with them. Was that why she had asked Mary Margaret if she still knew if she belonged in the Enchanted Forest or here in Storybrooke? Had they even considered what it would mean for her, or for Henry, if they went with them?

She'd been running from things all her life. Mainly from her past but as she got older she also ran from any kind of responsibility. When she got pregnant with Henry she didn't even consider the thought of keeping him. She knew what she had to offer, and it wasn't much. As the day of his birth came closer she found herself wondering more and more if this was the same situation her own mother had been in when she abandoned her by the side of the road. Had she been that desperate that she just left a new born baby, helpless and alone, hoping someone would find her and look after her? At least she knew that her baby would be placed into a warm and loving home.

As it turned out that the home he ended up in had been with Regina and although she doubted whether it had always been warm and loving, she knew there were worse places he could have ended up. At least he didn't have the kind of life she had. Moving from place to place, home to home, all her earthly belongings wrapped up in a plastic bag. She never had much to bring with her. She didn't cling to her possessions. Sooner or later she'd have to leave them behind anyway. She always ended up leaving something behind.

Her walk had led her to a familiar place and when she was snapped out of her musings by a cold gust of wind pulling at her hair she found herself looking at Regina's house. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed the faint flickering of light behind one of the downstairs windows and she crossed the road, pushed against the gate and walked up to the path. Someone had clumsily put the front door back but it was too destroyed to shut properly and it was slightly ajar. Emma pushed against and the door creaked as it slowly opened. Her hand shot down to the holster on her hip and she drew her gun.

"Hello?" she called. Her voice bounced off the walls and carried on through the house. She took a couple of steps into the hallway, her eyes scanning for anything that moved. "Anyone here?"

There was no answer and Emma's eyes slowly adapted to the darkness inside. When she looked to her left she noticed the same vague hint of flickering light and a shadow on the wall. Adrenaline rushed through her bloodstream as she carefully and quietly began walking in the direction of the living room. She'd only been inside Regina's house a handful of times but the lay out was something she hadn't forgotten. Broken glass, wood splinters and ornaments still littered the floors and muffled the sound of her footsteps as she walked, allowing her to come closer without being noticed.

Emma reached the entrance to the living room and carefully peered into the room. A handful of candles had been lit, standing on what was left of the coffee table, the mantel piece and the bookcase. The small yellow flames flickered, casting strange shaped shadows onto the wall. In the middle of all the debris stood Regina. In her hand she held what looked like a photo frame and her eyes snapped up when she became aware of Emma watching her.

"Miss Swan," she said and lowered the object in her hand as if she attempted to hide it. From where she stood Emma could see it was a picture of Regina and Henry. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

Regina arched a finely shaped eyebrow. "This _is_ my house, Miss Swan."

"What's left of it anyway," Emma said as her eyes drifted around the room. She slipped her gun back in its holster and slowly walked further until she reached one of the leather arm chairs. Her eyes found Regina's. "I saw light through the window and decided to check it out. Just in case the mob had come back, you know."

"I see," Regina answered, her voice distant and cold. "Well, they haven't."

"They sure as hell did a real number on this place," Emma said and bent down to pick up the remnants of a porcelain vase. The flowers it had held lay withered at her feet. She held the pieces of the vase in her hand as she looked at Regina. "Can any of it be salvaged?"

"If I can find someone willing to fix it for me," Regina answered distantly and her face hardened. She put the photo frame back on the shelf and brushed her hands along her side. "Nobody seems particularly eager to take on the job." She avoided making eye contact and started for the living room door, walking past Emma.

The blonde followed the mayor with her eyes. "Henry would like to see you."

The words made Regina turn around and their gazes locked. Hope flickered in her dark orbs. "Really?"

"Yeah. I told him you don't want to use magic anymore," Emma explained. She hadn't missed the way Regina's eyes lit up and for a moment she remembered what David and Mary Margaret had said about her but chose to ignore it. "I can bring him over to Granny's tomorrow, if you want?"

Regina suddenly smiled. A genuine smile that lit up her face but at the same time accented the tears glistening in her eyes. "Thank you," she said. "I'd like that." She averted her eyes and seemed to stare on some of the shards of broken glass on the floor. "Maybe you'd like to join us for lunch tomorrow, Miss Swan? I know you don't trust me and perhaps it would make you feel more comfortable if Henry sees me while you're there?"

"You're asking me to join you for lunch?" Emma questioned in surprise. She furrowed her brow. "You're actually serious, aren't you?"

"I'll do anything for Henry."

"Okay," Emma said tentatively and nervously picked at her fingernails. Regina seemed to relax now that she accepted the invitation. "I'll join you." She turned the pieces of the broken vase over in her hand and took a deep breath. "I could try and fix this for you, if you want? I mean, like you said, nobody else seems willing to help…"

"It's perfectly allright, Miss Swan," Regina answered. The smile on her face was fake but Emma didn't say anything. "I'll find my own way of fixing things, but thank you."

"Granny says you can stay at the Bed & Breakfast for as long as you like."

"I know." Regina's eyes drifted around the room. "It seems she is one of the very few people willing to look beyond my past."

"She has Ruby. She knows what it's like for people to judge." She looked down at the pieces in her hand. "Our past is often the thing that haunts us the most," She felt a shiver creep down her spine when Regina's eyes unexpectedly found her own. She knew these words were very much true to herself but they were also true for Regina. "It makes us who we are but it doesn't have to define who we become. We can change, if our heart's in it."

"You changed," Regina pointed out.

Emma shrugged and averted her eyes. "I'm trying."

The silence between them lasted for several moments as they stood, lost in their own thoughts, surrounded by the rubble in the living room. It was Regina who moved first as she went to blow out the candles. One by one the small flames died and the room was swallowed up by darkness. Now the only light coming in was the silver glow from the moon and when the light hit Regina's face Emma was struck by just how sad she really looked.

"I guess we won't be achieving anything here tonight," Regina said and started for the door. Emma hesitantly followed her and they walked into the entrance hall and then to what was left of the front door. Regina stepped outside first and turned on the path to see Emma follow her. The blonde Sherriff attempted to pull the door behind her but it wouldn't give way. She looked back at Regina and gave up.

"Good night, Miss Swan," Regina said when Emma reached her. It sounded cold and distant, as if she was eager to get rid of her. It was a dismissal, not a kind expression.

Emma straightened her spine. She didn't know why she was so hurt by Regina's cool treatment but she wasn't going to let the other woman see it. "Good night, Madam Mayor," she replied and walked down the path and through the gate. She felt Regina's eyes on her as she made her way down the road and turned around the corner. Once she knew she was out of sight she stopped walking and turned her eyes up the star riddled skies over her head. A desperate sigh escaped her and she covered her face in her hands.

Regina waited a few more minutes to make sure that she wouldn't run in to Emma again when she left and slowly made her way down to the sidewalk. She turned around before crossing the road. This house was her pride. It had been her castle, her safe haven. Now it was nothing but an empty shell, stripped from everything that meant something to her. The world around her slowly started to fall apart, the same way it had done many years ago. The cracks were starting to show and there was only one thing she could do to stop it.

She walked across town until she reached the mansion at the bottom of the hill, on the outskirts of the forest. The lights were on behind most of the windows and she stepped up to the porch. A leather gloved hand knocked against the wooden front door and she waited. An outside light came on and she recognised the sound of footsteps inside the house. Through the glass she could see a dark shadow making its way towards her and she set her jaw. The door opened and she looked at Mr Gold, or as she preferred to call him, Rumpelstiltskin.

"Regina," he said with a smile but behind his eyes she could see the suspicion grow. "What brings you here?"

"Our deal," she said darkly. "You know just as well as I do that it will never happen. You tricked me."

Rumpelstiltskin cocked his head and studied the face of the woman he'd come to know so well. He knew Regina even better than she knew herself. He was largely responsible for the poisoning of her heart. "_I_ tricked you?" he asked. "But you came to me so you tricked yourself. You know what it is you want but magic always comes at a price."

Regina's eyes narrowed but a hint of desperation flashed across her face. "You know that this is a price I can't pay."

"A deal's a deal." Rumpelstiltskin took a step towards her. "I may have been the one to create this curse, Regina, but you were the one to use it. Do you remember what you promised me on the eve we made our trade?" He smiled as he watched the horror spread across Regina's face. She hadn't forgotten. "That hasn't changed, dearie. The promise you made and the debt you owe me have not yet been fulfilled. You've made your deal. Now you must pay."

"This…" Regina began. "There must be some other way."

"Not developing feelings, are we?" Rumpelstiltskin mocked her. She stared back at him in disgust. "You've never struggled to kill before. How hard can it be to rip out someone's heart and pulverize it before their own eyes?"

Regina's features hardened. "You will have your payment," she hissed as she brought her face closer to his in an attempt to intimidate him. "And I _will _have my revenge."

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**Please let me know what you think?**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **I was going to update yesterday but then I got a migraine... so here you go!

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**Chapter 5**

She'd missed breakfast by the time she came down the stairs. It was quiet in the apartment and it appeared that everyone other than Henry was out. He was still upstairs, brushing his teeth. She'd told him she'd meet him downstairs, ready for their meeting with Regina. She padded across the room and Emma found her shoes under the dining table, exactly where she'd left them when she came home late last night, and slipped them on.

"Going somewhere?"

She jumped when she heard Mary Margaret's voice and spun around. Her mother stood in the sleeping area of the apartment, leaning against the wall. She was dressed in a casual sweater and a pair of dark blue skinny jeans. Her eyes lingered on her daughter and judging from the way she'd wrapped her arms around herself, Emma could tell that she expected an honest answer.

"I promised Henry that I'd bring him to Regina," Emma answered and noticed how her mother's eyes darkened. Whenever they reached the subject of Regina it seemed that Mary Margaret refused to talk. Emma understood why but at the same time she wished that her parents would at least try to keep an open mind. She rubbed her hands along her jeans. "Like it or not, she raised Henry for ten years and deserves to be part of his life."

"Emma…"

"I know what you're going to say," Emma cut her off. Her eyes shot back to the stairs. She'd recognised the sound of Henry's footsteps over her head and she didn't want him to hear the argument about Regina. "I don't want to talk about this now."

"You walked out last night and didn't come back for hours!" Mary Margaret exclaimed. "Have you got any idea how worried we were?"

Emma's jaw dropped. "What am I? Fifteen?!" She shook her head and looked around for her handbag. It hung on the hook next to the door and she walked over to get it. "This is Storybrooke. What could possibly happen to me here?"

"You can't trust Regina, Emma," Mary Margaret pleaded and walked into the kitchen. "You don't know her like we do. You don't know what she's capable off and you certainly don't know half the things she's done. There's a reason we call her the Evil Queen." She held still a couple of steps away from her daughter. "Don't trust her."

"I can take care of myself," Emma said sharply. "I've been doing it all my life." Mary Margaret's face fell as her daughter's words sank in. Emma felt the guilt creep up on her and sighed. "Listen, I'm doing the best I can here, ok? But you have to give me some time. All of this is still weird and I don't even know if I understand any of it." She stared down at the floor. "You talk about going back to a place I never even know existed but Regina's trying to be a better person. That's something I _do_ know. I know what it's like to try and change."

Mary Margaret wanted to say something in return but Henry came down the stairs, his face glowing with excitement. He ran straight to his coat and put it on. Emma watched her son before looking back at her mother. "This is something I have to do," she said softly as she ruffled her son's hair. "She deserves a chance and if no one else is going to give her one, I will."

She zipped up her coat and glanced at Henry. His eyes darted from Emma to Mary Margaret and back. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, kid," Emma answered and opened the door. He stepped out and she smiled at his excitement. The thought of spending the afternoon had kept her awake for most of the night. Even more so than the fact she walked out on her parents because they disagreed with her. By the time she came back they'd already gone to bed. She'd peeked into the room but everything was dark so she took off her shoes and went to bed. It seemed that right now Mary Margaret seemed to hold that against her but there wasn't anything she could do about it now.

"Come on. We don't wanna leave your mom waiting," she said to Henry before looking back at Mary Margaret. "We'll talk about this later, OK?" When her mother nodded she closed the door and caught up with Henry, who was already half way down the stairs. When she reached him she knew he was going to ask her about what Mary Margaret had said and she took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself.

"Mary Margaret doesn't want me to see my mom, does she?" Henry asked. The hint of sadness in his voice left Emma shaken but her soon looked up to her. "I understand."

Emma opened the door that led to the road outside. "I think a lot of people have trouble seeing that your mom is trying to change," she explained. "They've never known her as anything else other than the Evil Queen and she has done some horrible things but she's trying. I think people should give her the benefit of the doubt. It takes a lot of guts to try and change something you've always known." She wrapped an arm around her son's shoulders. "And she's doing it all for you."

"You think she can do it?" Henry asked. "Live without magic?"

Emma hesitated. The fact that Regina didn't have magic now didn't mean that she'd never be able to possess it. She wondered if she'd be able to live without using magic at all. "I don't know," she said in all honesty. "But I want to hope that she can."

"Yeah," Henry answered and the echo of hope in his voice was strong. He kicked against a small stone lying in his path and it bounced off the sidewalk and into the road. "Me too."

Emma didn't answer. Instead they walked from the apartment in the direction of Granny's diner. Every so often she watched her son. Until the night he knocked on her door, she hardly ever thought about him. The more time she got to spend with him, the guiltier she felt. He was her child, her flesh and blood, and although she had done what she believed was best for him, somehow she felt that he should have at least crossed her mind more often than he had. She didn't know anything about being parent and now that she had gotten to know Henry, she was still making it all up as she went along. She knew he looked up to her, but most of that seemed to be due to the fact that she was the Saviour and broke the Curse. She was his mother but it was Regina who, despite all her flaws, was his mom and one way or another they would have to find a balance.

They reached the diner and much to Emma's surprise Regina was waiting for them outside. Her eyes briefly trailed over the dark haired woman's frame. Regina wore grey pants that clung to her body, a black blouse with the first two buttons undone and a black coat. Her eyes lit up when she saw Henry and after a quick glance at Emma he increased his pace. When he reached Regina he stood still for a moment, as if to decide what to do next, but then he wrapped his arms around her and she gratefully hugged him. From where she stood Emma watched how Regina's eyes fluttered shut now that she held her son. An unexpected jolt of both guilt and jealousy made her walk up to Regina.

"Thank you for coming," Regina said when Emma reached her. "I… I wasn't sure if you would."

"I know." Emma admitted and looked past Regina at the diner. "You wanna go in?"

The three of them walked up to the door and Henry held it for them. Once inside he ran over to his favourite booth and slipped into the seat. Regina followed and Emma crossed the diner to the bar where Granny was pouring Leroy and Archie a cup of coffee.

"What is she doing here?" Leroy growled when Emma reached the bar.

"I invited her," Emma replied sharply and became very aware of the fact that she could feel Regina's eyes burning into her back. When she turned her head slightly her feelings were confirmed. Regina was watching her. "She is joining me and Henry for lunch."

"Lunch?" Leroy questioned and curled his lips into a snarl. "You'd better be careful you don't _become_ lunch, Sherriff."

"Thank you, but I think I can handle Regina," Emma said, a hint of venom lacing her words. "It wouldn't hurt anyone around this town to maybe think that she can change." Her eyes fixed on Leroy and he looked up to meet her gaze. Emma's eyes darkened. "You of all people should know that."

Leroy didn't answer and Emma grinned to herself before looking at Ruby. She knew Ruby was friends with Mary Margaret but if she knew anything about her mother's concerns, she wasn't showing it. "Two coffees and a strawberry milkshake please."

"Coming right up," Ruby smiled.

Emma walked over to the booth and slipped into the empty seat across from Regina. Henry sat next to the dark haired woman and he seemed genuinely happy to be with her. As she sat down she noticed Regina's eyes linger on her for just a moment longer and she glanced up at her, catching her gaze long to let Regina knew she knew she'd been watching. The older woman averted her eyes and focysed on 'd Henry instead. He was telling her about what he'd been doing since the Curse was broken and how he enjoyed living with the Mary Margaret and David.

"But you do miss your old room, don't you?" Emma asked when she noticed the hurt in Regina's eyes now that her son talked about living in another house with different people. People that she knew from a different life, people she had tried to kill and those same people had tried to kill her. She didn't miss the anger when Henry mentioned Mary Margaret.

"Yes," Henry answered and he looked from Emma to Regina as if he sensed that she wanted him to make Regina not feel rejected. "Yes, I do."

Ruby appeared at their table carrying a tray with two coffees and a milkshake and she put the drinks down in front of them. Emma noticed how she even sent Regina a smile and also saw Regina tentatively smile back. Ruby looked around the table. "You guys want anything to eat?"

"Can I have a burger?" Henry asked.

"Yes," Emma and Regina answered simultaneously and their eyes found each other in surprise before Emma laughed. Regina's lips curled up too. "I'll have one too," she then added as she looked back at Ruby. "You?" The question was aimed at Emma and the blonde didn't hesitate.

"Yeah," she replied. "Why not?"

"Great," Ruby answered and sauntered off into the kitchen.

"So, has Mary Margaret decided yet when you're going back to school?" Regina asked, her eyes fixing on Henry.

"No," he said and took a large gulp from her milkshake. "I don't know if we'll go back."

"Sure you will," Emma interjected. "School's good for you and Mary Margaret is a good teacher. I know things have changed around Storybrooke but that's no reason to stop living our lives. We just have to figure out what we're going to do from now on." Subconsciously her gaze drifted back to Regina and she felt an unexpected blush creep across her face when she found the older woman looking at her. "I think it will be good for you to go back. I'll talk to Mary Margaret tonight, see what she says."

"I agree with Emma," Regina said. "I think we need to try and make the best out of a difficult situation while we try to find out what we're going to do next."

"Do you want to go back to the Enchanted Forest?" Henry asked directly.

The question caught Regina by surprise and she stared down into her coffee. Her slender fingers followed the shape of the mug as she considered her answer. "I don't know," she said and Emma couldn't remember ever having seen Regina look so fragile. For a brief moment in time it felt like she was allowed a glimpse into the past. She got to see the woman Regina had been before she became the Evil Queen but within a couple of seconds it was gone and the slightly cold and distant mask returned.

"But you're the Queen!" Henry said and Emma realised he'd left out the word 'Evil.'

"No, darling, Snow White and Prince Charming are the ones who lead our land now," Regina said softly. It was the first time she admitted any form of defeat and the words tasted bitter in her mouth. "I may have been Queen once but I am no longer." The empty echo in her voice struck Emma and she felt for her. It was as Regina no longer really belonged anywhere. "I don't know, Henry. I don't know if I can ever go back. Besides, there's no way we ever could return. We'd have to find a portal but there aren't any left."

"A portal?" Henry asked curiously, a glint appearing in his eyes. "What's a portal?"

"A passage way that allows a person to travel from one realm to another," Regina explained. "There are different ways of creating a portal but every way involves magic." The features across her face hardened and as she picked up her mug Emma noticed that her knuckles had turned white, she was clutching the porcelain so tightly. "And magic is the one thing we don't have."

Henry looked at the woman whom he'd called mom for the first ten years of his life. "Mr Gold does. He has magic. Maybe he can open a portal."

Regina's eyes briefly met Emma's and it seemed they had a mutual of understanding when it came to Gold. "Mr Gold isn't exactly the type of person to ask for favours, Henry. I'm telling you this now and you'd do well to remember it. You know who he was in our land, don't you?"

"Rumpelstiltskin."

"Indeed," Regina said softly. "And if you make a deal with him, you have no choice but to keep it. A deal cannot be broken, which is exactly where the danger lies. He's smart and he'll trick you. Asking Rumpelstiltskin for help is never without consequences. It will cost you." Her eyes darkened. "Magic always comes at a price."

The door to the diner opened again and Emma looked over her shoulder to find the very subject of their investigation walk in. Dressed in his standard black suite, he looked smart as always. He leaned on his cane as the door closed quietly behind him. His eyes darted around the diner, taking in the faces of the few costumers. When his gaze fell on their table the corners of his mouth curled up into a smile and he slowly made his way over to them.

"Spending time with your son, Your Majesty?" he inquired when he reached them. The grin across his face couldn't be described as anything other than smug. "How lovely."

"What do you want, Gold?" Emma snapped, her eyes blazing as she looked up at him. "Or do I call you Rumpelstiltskin?"

"Call me whatever you like, dearie," he replied. His eyes darted back to Regina. "Don't get too cosy, love. You never know how short-lived it might be." He turned around without waiting for Regina to reply and made his way over to the bar.

Regina swallowed hard and looked down at the table surface.

"What was that?" Emma asked once she knew for sure that Gold was out of hearing range. She leant in a little towards Regina. "Did he just threaten you?"

"Gold and I have a lot of history," Regina said slowly. "I'll tell you about it someday but right now is not the time." She looked up and when Emma met her gaze she could see the hint of fear in those brown orbs. "Another time, Miss Swan."

Ruby returned with their burgers and for the next fifteen minutes they barely spoke as they ate their food. Henry seemed to enjoy his particularly, tucking in to the burger as if he hadn't eaten for a week. Not only did he eat his own fries, he had most of Emma's and Regina's too. Emma just smiled as she watched her son stuff his face and every so often her eyes would wander to Regina. As time passed she relaxed more and more and eventually, as they finished their food and Henry had polished off his second milkshake, her guard came down.

When it came time to leave, the three of them left the diner together. Regina insisted on paying for their lunch and brushed Emma's arguments away, leaving a handful of bills on the table. She held the door for the blonde and Henry as they exited the building and stepped back into the bleak afternoon sun. It was a little after two o'clock. Their time together at the diner had been over two hours and yet it felt like it had been mere minutes.

"Well, I guess we'd better go," Emma said, taking Henry's hand into her own. She looked at Regina. The sadness was etched across her face and she felt the guilt well up in the pit of her stomach.

"Yeah," Regina said quietly. "I guess it is."

"Can we go for a walk in the woods?" Henry piped up suddenly, looking up at Emma.

"I guess so," Emma answered. "Why do you wanna go there?"

"I like it there."

"Ok, kid." Her eyes found Regina and she took a deep breath. "How would you feel about a walk, Madam Mayor?"

"You want me to come?" Regina asked, seemingly surprised.

"If Henry says its ok," Emma said and looked at her son. He just nodded and smiled. "Look, if you don't want to, that's totally fine. I just thought…" Her voice started to break and suddenly the words seemed far more complicated. "It's been good so, you know… if you want to spend some more time with us… with Henry, I mean…"

"Sure," Regina smiled. "I'd love to."

The three of them started down the road and crossed to the other side, walking off into the direction of the woods. Henry walked in between the two women but soon increased his pace to walk ahead of them. Emma and Regina were left in his wake and walked along side by side without speaking, both struck by the almost strange absurdity of the situation.

Back the diner, Rumpelstiltskin stepped out onto the street and turned to see the two women walk off. His eyes narrowed as he observed them for a little while, noticing how the distance between them seemed to decrease the further they walked. It wasn't concern or worry that spread across his fear. The emotion that appeared was that of a man who felt like he had won the lottery and his lips curled up into a satisfying smirk.

"Well done, Regina," he whispered to the quietness around him. "Well done."

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**Thoughts? I'd love to hear them!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The woods were quiet. The only sounds came from the wind softly rustling the leaves and a lonely bird singing a soft, lament song high up in the branches. The twigs snapped underneath their shoes as they walked silently side by side. Henry walked a couple of metres in front of them. He seemed excited to be out of Storybrooke, Emma thought. Her eyes lingered on her son. She would never have dared to dream that her life would change in such a dramatic way.

"You seem to be lost in some deep thoughts," Regina observed and the sound of her voice was enough to rouse Emma from her musings. Bewildered she looked up to find the older woman watching her, curiosity flickering in dark brown eyes.

"Sorry," Emma said apologetically. "It's just… a lot has happened."

"You must be confused." Regina paused, waiting for Emma to confirm her statement. "It's not every day you find out that you're the child of Snow White and Prince Charming."

"No," Emma replied. "I guess it's not."

"There is a lot that you will have to learn."

Emma gave Regina a sideways glance. "What do you mean?"

"None of us are from this world, Miss Swan. We're not like you."

Emma's cheeks suddenly started burning and the unexplainable rush of blood made them turn red. She averted her gaze and stared down at the muddy path they were walking on. She couldn't explain why this kept happening. She nervously chewed her lip and pushed her hands into the pockets of her jeans. Suddenly she wished she hadn't asked Regina to come with them. She wasn't sure she could actually handle the dark haired woman's presence for a minute longer but they were here now, in the middle of the woods, and there was no way back.

"What's it like?" she suddenly blurted out.

Regina arched an eyebrow. "What is what like?"

"Your world. Wherever or whatever it is, I mean."

Regina froze in her step. "I'm not sure if I'm the right person to answer those questions, Miss Swan."

"I just found out that Snow White is my mother. Right now I don't really care who the right or wrong person is to tell me stuff. I want to know." Emma's blue eyes found Regina's brown. Her voice softened. "I'm asking _you_, Regina."

Regina seemed to hesitate and brushed a strand of dark hair out of her face before answering. "It's a place unlike anything you have ever seen," she answered softly. "Unlike anything you could ever imagine. It was once full of magic. The seas are as blue as the skies and the woods were green. Although the kingdoms were divided, many eventually found common ground." Her eyes seemed to glaze over as the memories flooded back into her mind. "True love brought them back together."

"They actually believe that stuff? You know, the whole true love thing and all?" Emma said sceptically and shook her head. "One thing they will have learned in this world is that true love really is a fairy tale."

"Your parents would beg to differ," Regina pointed out. Her eyes darted around before eventually fixing on Henry who was about to disappear around the bend. "You should talk to them, Miss Swan. I don't think they'll appreciate me telling you about their land, since I, the one who took it from them. Perhaps it is best for them to tell you their stories."

Emma's eyes narrowed. "What about your story?"

"My story?"

"Yeah," Emma said softly. "They call you the Evil Queen."

"Actually, it's your mother who gave me that name. Once I was simply known as the Queen. It wasn't until…" Regina's voice broke and she seemed to choke back unexpected tears. "Shall we say that your mother and I have had our disagreements?"

"But she spared your life," Emma said. "Whatever it was she did to you or you did to her, she couldn't find it in her heart to kill you. That must mean something."

There was a hint of impatience in her voice. Why didn't anyone want to tell her what it was like, what their lives had been like before coming to Storybrooke? All Mary Margaret and David were concerned about was her learning their side of the story but what about the part of the story that had brought them here in the first place? The one person responsible for all of this. What about Regina's side? She couldn't even believe she wanted to know but something deep down inside of her almost needed it. She needed to know what had happened for someone to go as far as breaking apart a family, leaving a child alone in a new world.

"She told you that?" Regina asked. "She told you she spared my life?"

"People talk. I know what happened."

"No," Regina said dismissively. "You don't. And I doubt you ever will."

She turned away and increased her pace to catch up with Henry. Emma watched her walk away and sighed. The frustrations and questions were building up inside of her and she didn't know what to do or where to go. After the Curse broke her first instinct had been to leave Storybrooke. It had faded fast but for a split second she had wanted to run away from it all; the responsibility of facing her parents and her son, realising there was another life she could live. She wasn't sure she was happy she stayed. As her eyes lingered on Regina she felt the sudden impulse to fight, to not give up. She didn't know what she was fighting for or whatever it was she was holding on to, but she knew she couldn't leave. That moment had passed. It was long gone. She had to stay. Something made her. She felt it right there, at that moment. She wasn't going anywhere. Storybrooke, for now at least, was home.

She started walking again and caught up with Regina and Henry after a couple of minutes. Her son's hand slipped effortlessly into hers and she looked down. It still was somewhat a strange notion; being a parent. Her eyes then drifted up and found Regina's. The older woman averted her gaze as soon as she noticed Emma looking at her. She didn't speak but her silence said more than a thousand words ever could.

"Hey, isn't that the Wishing Well?" Emma asked and pointed at something just visible through the trees. She'd been here before. August took her here a little while ago. She let go off Henry and started walking towards it, away from the path they'd been following. When she looked over her shoulder she found it wasn't Henry behind her but Regina.

"You know what they say about this place?" Regina said when they reached the well.

"Apparently legend says that the water has the power to returns things that once were lost," Emma said softly and peered over the edge down into the darkness below. She could just about see the water. When she looked back up she found Regina watching her, curiosity etched across her face. "What do you believe?"

"I believe the legend is true," Regina stated rather matter of fact.

Henry reached the well too and looked from Emma to Regina. "Why do you think it's true?"

"Because I think this is where Gold went when he released the magic back into Storybrooke," Regina answered and Emma's eyes widened. "I watched that cloud. I saw where it came from. It came from here, the woods. There is no better place. Gold made magic return to Storybrooke because it had been lost when the Curse was cast."

"So, what is this?" Emma wanted to know. "Some kind of magical portal?"

"No, not a portal exactly," Regina said slowly. "But it has potential."

"Potential for what?"

Regina's eyes found Emma's and a light smile tugged at her cheeks. "It can take us home one day." She paused. "All of us."

Emma stepped away from the well and turned her back on her son and Regina. "Maybe it's best if you took Henry back to Mary Margaret's apartment. You two can spend a little bit of time together on your walk there," she said without looking at them.

"What?" Henry asked. "Why?"

"Because there's something I need to do," Emma answered slowly. She turned back around, her eyes finding Regina's. The older woman's hand rested on Henry's shoulder. "Could you do that for me, please?"

"Of course," Regina said. "You're not coming?"

"No," Emma answered. "I think I'll stay here for a little while longer."

Regina's eyes narrowed. "To do what?"

"Think."

Regina realised there wasn't anything she could say to change Emma's mind and she began to understand that this was something the blonde Sherriff had to do. She gently pushed Henry away from the well, encouraging him to walk. He looked back at Emma and she smiled, barely able to hide the torment and confusion behind her mask. She waved goodbye as her son and Regina slowly disappeared from sight and once they were gone she turned back around to the well, placed her hands on the stone and stared down into the darkness below.

Minutes passed. The bird singing its song went quiet and it was as if the wind died down. There was only silence. She was alone with her own thoughts and her own feelings, none of which seemed to make any sense. She'd always been proud of herself for knowing what she was doing, for being strong and making her own way through life. But right now she didn't feel any of that. She felt tired, sad and confused. The world around her wasn't what it seemed to be and the people she thought she knew she didn't know at all. Did she even know herself?

"What are you expecting to find?" a soft voice behind her asked and Emma turned around. The woman behind her was dressed in dark blue and smiled now that the blonde looked at her.

"Mother Superior," Emma said slowly before frowning. "Or… who are you?"

"In our land I was known as the Blue Fairy," Mother Superior said softly and walked up to the well and briefly glanced down into the depths below. "I answer to both now."

"What are you doing here?" Emma wanted to know.

"Oh, I come here most days. I think this is one of the most peaceful places in Storybrooke," Mother Superior replied. "I hope you don't mind me intruding on your quiet moment of contemplation, Emma, but you seem troubled."

She rolled her eyes. "You have no idea."

"What is it that's on your mind?"

"I'm not sure if I know where to start." Emma stared down at the ground. "Or if I want to."

"Very well," Mother Superior said and smiled. "I shall leave you to your…" Her voice trailed off when her gaze dropped to the necklace dangling around Emma's neck and he hesitantly took a step forward. "Where did you get that?"

"What?" Emma asked and reached for the shorter of the two necklaces. The longer one held a pendant with the image of a swan but the short one held a simple, fine silver ring. She let it run through her fingers before turning it around. "I've had it for years. Why?"

"Who gave it to you?"

"I don't know. It arrived on my sixteenth birthday. It was just there, on my doorstep. Without a name or anything. I thought they had left it at the wrong house but it was so pretty that I couldn't send it back," Emma answered softly. She didn't dare speak out loud that until then no one had ever bought her anything as pretty as that necklace and throughout her life she had held hope that someone had actually left it there for her to find. The knowledge that it could have all been a mistake was just too painful to consider so she pretended it didn't happen this way.

"I don't think they had the wrong house, Emma," Mother Superior said with a hint of a smile. "I think this ring was meant for you."

"Meant for me?" Emma said. "How?"

"There's a story out there that for every princess born, another heart is born too. A heart that, in time, will join with hers to beat together," Mother Superior said. "Everyone wants to believe in true love, Emma, and the story says that there's true love out there for everyone." She paused. "The story speaks of a ring, forged from the purest silver. Those who receive it cannot wear it themselves. If they try, the ring doesn't fit around their finger. The ring only fits on the finger of the person whose heart will unite with theirs. The ring will only fit that person's true love."

Emma stared at the woman in front of her in a mixture of disbelief and shock. "You're kidding me, right? You're saying that this thing is from your land?"

"Most definitely," Mother Superior answered. "I have seen only a handful of them in my life and in every case the story was proven to be true."

"How could this ring have found me when I was sixteen?! The whole of Storybrooke was still trapped in time and your land has been destroyed!" Emma said and tugged at the chain around her neck. Unexpected tears suddenly glistened in her eyes. "How could this have found me?"

"We all have destinies that we don't know about but our paths are laid out from the moment we're born," Mother Superior said with a smile. "It seems that you are destined not only to be our Saviour, but also to find your true love, Emma."

"Yeah right," Emma snorted. "I seem to be better at finding idiots and morons instead of love."

"Don't worry about it too much," Mother Superior said. "We can find out how the ring came to you another time." She took a step towards Emma. "There is magic in Storybrooke now and there's something I need you to do for me. I need you to find the dwarves. Without fairy dust we don't stand a chance against whomever or whatever has magic."

"You'll probably find Leroy and the others at Granny's," Emma said. "They've been hanging out there ever since the Curse broke." Her eyes narrowed. "How are you going to find fairy dust in Storybrooke?"

"Diamonds," Mother Superior answered. "If we can find diamonds, we can make fairy dust."

She turned around and began walking away from the well but froze when Emma called her back. When she turned around she noticed she held the chain with the ring in her hand, dangling it over the well. She wasn't sure what she saw reflecting in her eyes. A flash of hurt, or maybe even hope?

"If you're right about what this ring means, about me finding my true love," Emma began, "then it must come back to me when I drop it in the waters of this well, right? I mean, Regina seems to think this is where Gold brought magic to Storybrooke so the legend must be true. It really does bring back things that once were lost."

"Emma…"

It was too late. The chain slipped through her fingers and started its descend into the darkness below. The seconds seemed to feel everlasting until the sound of it hitting the water echoed off the walls. Emma took a sharp breath and stared down into the well. For a couple of seconds nothing seemed to happen and she pushed herself away from the edge, ready to leave but before she could even take one step, a cloud of white smoke began to billow up from the depths of the earth, circling slowly up into the air until it reached the top of the well.

"What the…" Emma whispered as she turned back around. The smoke began to clear and the silver chain and the ring lay on the side, next to her hand. They seemed to glow and glisten in the golden afternoon sunlight. She grabbed it off the side and held it up to her eyes, as if to check it was real. Mother Superior slowly came closer, her eye wide with surprise.

"I can't believe it."

"This isn't possible," Emma whispered as she let the chain slide through her fingers. It felt cold against her skin. "This just can't.."

"Magic," Mother Superior said softly and put a hand on Emma's arm. "It's back in Storybrooke. It is possible and it did happen. You were destined to be our Saviour but it seems you're destined for much more than just that. Rings like this one only find their way to those who need it most. Those who need to believe there is true love out there for them, waiting somewhere. This ring found you to give you hope, Emma. To remind you you're not alone."

"But I am alone," Emma answered softly. "Even now."

"You're not alone. Not anymore. You're part of our world now. The hardest thing you have to do now is accept that, face it."

Emma shook her head and clutched the chain firmly in her hand as she pushed past Mother Superior. "No," she said. "The hardest thing about this world is to live in it."

She left Mother Superior standing at the side of the wall and ran through the woods back into the direction of Storybrooke. The sound of her footsteps sounded echoed through the quiet forest like gunshots and her lungs pressed against her ribcage. Her heart pounded in the back of her throat by the time she reached the outskirts of the town and she took a few quick ragged breaths. A fine sheen of sweat glistened on her forehead. She slowed down her pace as she began making her way back into the town. Every step felt hesitant.

She effortlessly found her way back to Mary Margaret's apartment and knocked, forgetting she had the key in her pocket. The door swung open, revealing her mother. Mary Margaret immediately recognised that her daughter was troubled and she closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms around her and pulling her close.

"We need to talk," Emma whispered as a lonely tear trickled down her cheek. "Right now."

* * *

**Thoughts? I'd love to hear them.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Emma's eyes darted around the apartment. "Where's Henry?" she wanted to know when her gaze finally connected with her mother's. She felt rattled. "Is he here? Did Regina drop him off?"

"She did," Mary Margaret said. "Fifteen minutes ago. She said you asked her to bring him home?"

Emma sighed. "I did. Where is he?"

"Upstairs." Mary Margaret searched her daughter's face. "Emma, what's going on? You're scaring me."

"I'm scaring _y__ou_?" Emma echoed. "That's a little ironic, don't you think?" She began pacing the apartment, the sound of her boots echoing off the wooden floor. She fingered the chain around her neck. Mother Superior had been right. Ever since receiving the ring she'd tried several times to wear it and although it always seemed a perfect fit, whenever she tried it on, it wouldn't slide further than halfway down her finger. Know she knew why.

"What happened?" Mary Margaret asked. "Did something happen? Did Regina do something?" She took a step towards Emma and took both her arms. "Emma, what's going on? Did something happen with Regina?"

"No!" Emma answered and pulled herself free from her mother's grip. "Yes! I mean…" She shook her head. "I… I don't know what happened, exactly. All I know is that all of this is getting way too confusing and I don't know what to do."

"Is this about Regina?" Mary Margaret carefully inquired.

"It's about this," Emma said and showed her mother the chain around her neck. "Do you know what it is?" Mary Margaret shook her head and Emma's face betrayed her surprise. She had expected her mother to recognise the time, to tell her that the story Mother Superior had told her wasn't true. She heaved a sigh. "The Blue Fairy seems to think that this ring is destined for my one true love."

"I've heard of those before!" Mary Margaret seemed fascinated. "There are only a few. They're crafted from the most beautiful silver and the magic within them links to the heart of the person who owns it, recognising their true love. It can only be worn by the person who holds their heart." She blinked a couple of times as she took in Emma's stunned expression, confronted once again by the fact that what she had known in her world wasn't the way Emma knew hers. "How did you get it?"

"It arrived on my sixteenth birthday." Emma looked down at the chain. "They didn't leave a card."

"Did you say you turned sixteen when the ring came to you?" Mary Margaret said slowly.

"Yeah, why?"

"Because within our kingdoms, sixteen is the age where girls are considered old enough to fall in love and truly know what it means. The day they turn sixteen is the day their life as an adult begins. Their hearts open and they experience what it feels like to fall in love," Mary Margaret explained. "But how could this happen if you were living in a world without magic? How did the ring find you?"

"Good question," Emma sighed and leant against the kitchen counter. She felt deflated and tired. The world around her didn't make sense anymore. "I don't know."

"There is one positive thing though," Mary Margaret said carefully and walked over to Emma. Her hand found her daughter's and she gently squeezed it. The touch was comforting and soft yet strange and unfamiliar. Emma looked down at their linked hands, still confused and surprised by the fact she suddenly had a mother. "The ring was created for you which means a heart was recognised as belonging to you. It means your true love is out there somewhere."

"Yeah, probably shacking up with Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny," Emma groaned. "I know this is how you've always lived your life but it isn't the way I lived mine. In the world I grew up in, there were no fairy godmothers with magic wands to make things better. True love doesn't hide around the corner and it definitely doesn't wait for anyone." She sighed and looked at Mary Margaret. "In my world I learnt to find what I needed and move on. True love really is a fairy tale."

"That was your world, Emma. This ring comes from our land, with our legends and our magic." Mary Margaret's slender fingers touched the ring dangling around her daughter's neck. "It proves you are as much a part of our world as you are of your own."

Emma's eyes narrowed. "If this ring is magical and comes from your land, does that mean my true love comes from your land too?"

Mary Margaret smiled. "That is a possibility."

"So, am I supposed to marry some prince from a faraway land I've never even heard of?" Emma raised her hands into the air and rolled her eyes. "Knights in shining armour aren't exactly what I'm used to. I get the idiots in tin foil. The morons with a stolen drivers licence. I get idiots like Henry's father who do nothing else but ruin my life."

"True love eventually finds us all," Mary Margaret said softly. "You just have to believe it."

"Yeah right," Emma groaned. "Like it's ever going to happen." She pushed herself away from the counter and walked around the kitchen before slumping down at the dining table. She cradled her head in her hands. She had a splitting headache. When she looked back up she found her mother looking at her, worry reflecting in her eyes. "Tell me about Regina."

"Why?"

"Because I asked you to?"

"Why Regina?" Mary Margaret asked. "Why do you want me to tell you about her?"

"Because I know everyone else's story," Emma pointed out. "Yours and David's, and Ruby's. Even Granny's. I know about the dwarves and about all the others but no one talks about Regina, not even Regina herself. I want to know. She's the one that brought you here, the one who tore apart our family. I want to know who she is." Slowly her eyes drifted up to meet Mary Margaret's. "I want to know why she hates you."

"It isn't as simple as you may think," Mary Margaret said slowly and sank down into one of the other empty chairs. She placed her hands flat on the surface of the table and stared at them for a little while, as if to rearrange the memories in her head. "Regina always says that evil isn't born, its made. And in her case, she's right. She wasn't always the Evil Queen. Once upon a time, she was just Regina. But then everything changed."

"What happened?" Emma asked softly.

"She saved my life."

"What?"

"I was only a little girl and Father took me riding across the lands. Now I know that he was looking for someone to be his Queen, to fill the emptiness left behind by my Mother's death. My horse got frightened and galloped off into the distance. No one was quick enough to stop it and I thought I would surely fall and die but then suddenly Regina was there. She helped me jump onto her horse and saved my life. When Father learnt what she had done, he offered himself to her. It was her mother who accepted his request to marry her." Mary Margaret's eyes darkened. "In all my life I've never met anyone like Cora."

"Cora? Who's Cora?" Emma wanted to know, as she did not recognise the name.

"Cora is Regina's mother," Mary Margaret answered. Bitterness laced her words. "She encouraged Regina to marry my Father. One night I saw Regina with someone else. A man who wasn't my Father. I may have been young but I knew then that she did not love him. She loved this other man, a stable boy. She confessed she didn't want to marry my Father but she made me promise not to tell anyone. I gave her my word and broke it."

Emma sat up, her gaze still fixed on her mother's face. "Who did you tell?"

"Cora." Sadness reflected in Mary Margaret's eyes as the name rolled off her lips. She averted her eyes, severing the eye contact with Emma. Guilt welled up inside of her. She hadn't realised what losing that stable boy had done to Regina until it was too late. But she'd only been a child. Cora had tricked her into betraying Regina's secret and in her innocence she'd believed she was helping her. "Regina paid the price."

"So that's why she hates you," Emma said softly. "You told Cora about the man Regina really loved and she killed him?" Mary Margaret nodded and Emma stared at her mother in shock. "But you were only a child!"

"Regina killed my Father," Mary Margaret added and Emma's eyes snapped up in shock. "The cycle didn't end there. I know she wasn't born evil but she became it anyway. I don't know who or what poisoned her soul but whatever it was, it darkened her heart and turned her into the monster she is now. The Regina that saved me that day is gone."

"She can't be just gone," Emma countered. "There's good in everyone…" She realised there was an echo of hope in her voice and Mary Margaret's eyes narrowed as she studied her daughter's face. "There has to be, right?"

"You've been defending her ever since the Curse was broken," Mary Margaret said softly. "I know she's Henry's mother too and that you've given him your word not to let her get hurt but why are you sticking up for her all the time? When you first came to Storybrooke you wanted to strangle her but now…"

"But now…. What?" Emma asked. The anger riled up inside of her without warning and all her defences kicked in. She didn't know why she became angry or even why she pushed her chair away from the table so fast that it fell over, bouncing off the wooden floor. Blue eyes were suddenly blazing. "What are you saying?"

"Emma, I'm not saying anything but you have to understand that nobody in this town likes Regina. They don't see her the way you do and frankly, I don't think they ever will. She ruined many lives, and killed many people. Everything Regina does she does for herself. She doesn't care about anyone else," Mary Margaret said sharply. "You'd do well to remember that."

"That was Regina before she gave up her magic. She wants to change, for Henry. She wants to be a better mother, a better person. I know what that's like," Emma whispered and ran her fingers through her long hair. Her eyes found her mother's and she folded her arms across her chest. Her fingers briefly grazed across the chain around her neck and it sent a shiver down her spine. The tremor in her voice betrayed all the emotions hidden underneath. "I believe her."

"Emma…."

"She raised my son, Mary Margaret. Whatever reasons she may have had to adopt him, they're no longer the same reasons she has today. I know what people think of her but all your minds were made up a long time ago. You're trapped between this world and the one you came from. What part of you is still Snow White and what part has become Mary Margaret?" Emma said and watched as understanding began to dawn in her mother's eyes. "Who's to say Regina hasn't changed the same way?"

Mary Margaret unexpected stood up, circled the table and took her daughter's hands into her own. She brought them up to her face, kissing Emma's fingers. Tears glistened in her eyes. "Tell me something and tell me truthfully," she whispered. "Is it possible that you have…. _feelings_… for Regina?"

"WHAT?!" Emma hissed and pulled her hands away. Her eyes widened and she stared at Mary Margaret. "What even makes you…" Mary Margaret just looked at her. "_No!"_

"I have seen that look before, Emma. It's something that can't be ignored," Mary Margaret said and let her fingers run down across Emma's jaw. She wasn't going to let go or step away from this. "It is the same way my Father used to look at my Mother. He always tried to be cold and distant because it was what was expected of him but the whole kingdom knew how much he loved her. Losing her destroyed him."

"I do _not_ have feelings for Regina," Emma snapped and jerked her head away. "She's your stepmother and Henry's adoptive mother." She took a step back but the crazy beating of her heart was driving her insane. It was pounding in the back of her throat. The blood rushed to her ears, leaving them buzzing. Every cell of her body seemed to have gone into an unexpected overload. "What makes you even say this? I mean, Regina? Come on, like, really?"

"I…" Mary Margaret began but her voice faded. Emma picked it up.

"You're confused and tired. You're probably still trying to make sense of everything that happened. The pieces don't fit yet and that's why you said this."

Mary Margaret slowly shook her head. "No, Emma, I'm not confused. And neither are you." Their eyes found each other and Emma stared at her mother in shock. Her jaw dropped when she realised she was deadly serious, that she meant every single word. "You know how I know, other than the look in your eyes when you talk about her? How angry you get when at the same time your eyes reflect all the light in the room?"

"No," Emma whispered. "I don't."

"When it comes to true love, someone doesn't just accept you for who you are. They also accept your past."

"I can't do this," Emma cut her off and spun around. Before Mary Margaret had a chance to stop her she'd sprinted out of the apartment, leaving the door open in her wake. She fled down the stairs and out of the building. It was late afternoon and the sun had begun to set behind the horizon, painting the skies in amber and red. Soon darkness would be here, erasing yet another day. Emma looked up to the sky and found herself lost as to where to go. There wasn't anywhere for her to run to. She couldn't go to Granny's. It was the first place Mary Margaret would look. She couldn't go to the inn because that was where Regina was.

Regina.

Could it be true? Could it actually be true? After all the stupid, idiotic things she'd done in her life, could she have actually managed to do something that topped them all? She'd believed she was smarter now, wiser even, but perhaps she wasn't. Maybe she was still the kind of person who would dive head first into any kind of trouble without thinking how she was going to get out. Perhaps she was still the type of person to deny any kind of responsibility, unwilling to face whatever confrontations and pain were coming her way.

She started walking, her hands deep into the pockets of her jacket. She willed herself to leave Storybrooke and after what felt like an eternity of walking she spotted the sign. The red line drawn across the road reminded her that those who left the town wouldn't remember who they were. Darkness had fallen and Emma tentatively walked over to the sign, holding still only a couple of feet away from it.

Her head whipped around when she heard a branch snap. A sudden gust of wind pulled at her hair and she felt a very cold shiver creep into her bones. Emma's eyes nervously looked around; attempting to discover what had caused the sound. She couldn't see anything. The woods were dark. As she averted her gaze, looking back at the Storybrooke sign, she couldn't shake the feeling that someone, or something, was watching her.

Over her head the clouds began to clear, revealing the perfect round shape of the full moon. More branches snapped and Emma jumped when the sound of a wolf howling echoed through the night. She spun around and staggered backwards when she discovered the large animal appearing from behind the trees. Slowly the monstrous creature stepped out onto the road, bearing its teeth and growling. Saliva dripped from the corner of its mouth as it exposed rows of perfect and sharp teeth.

"What the…" Emma whispered without taking her eyes off the wolf. The realisation of what, or better said who, she was looking at frightened her even more. "_Ruby_?"

The wolf charged as she blinked and Emma was knocked down to the ground. She rolled onto her side, away from the creature, and attempted to shield her face with her arms. Crying out in pain as the wolf's sharp teeth grazed across her forearm she raised her knees and hit out with her boots. She made contact with the wolf's body and the impact sent it flying backwards. She regained control and scrambled back to her feet. Blood trickled down her arm and her heart hammered in her throat. She only had a split second to turn around to see the creature charge at her again. The wolf leapt up into the air, its mouth wide open.

Seconds seemed to last forever. She stood frozen to the ground, unable to breathe or move. The wolf came at her and as she braced herself for an impact that would surely kill her, Emma's eyes fluttered shut. A heavy weight crashed into her body and she fell, landing on her side as her head bounced off the road. She tried to roll away but realised that the weight kept her down, unable to move. She expected pain but none came and her eyes snapped open. She expected to see the wolf but found a familiar face hovering above her instead. It was Regina.

"Don't move," she hissed and before Emma could answer back she'd jumped up, spun around and stared at the wolf. It didn't lunge. It merely stood frozen, its lips curled up into a snarl, teeth exposed. It seemed to consider whether to attack or not but then, without warning, it came at them again. Regina dropped back down to her knees, throwing her body over Emma's and shielding her as the wolf went for them.

It happened so fast that neither of them would be able to explain it later. A burst of energy welled up in the pit of Emma's stomach and it erupted into a bright flash of light. It shot through her body as well as Regina's and it was so powerful that it knocked the wolf backwards. The creature howled in pain as it landed on its side against a tree before staggering back up and disappearing into the darkness, leaving a bloody trail behind.

"You ok?" Regina breathed heavily and looked down at Emma underneath her.

"Yeah," she uttered. "I think so."

Regina slowly sat up, allowing Emma to do the same. They looked at each other for a moment, silence lingering between them before Emma spoke. "How the hell did you find me?"

"I was looking for you," Regina answered. "Care to tell me what you're doing here? And what the hell was that?"

"Ruby," Emma whispered. "It was Ruby."

"I thought she had a hood that stopped this from happening?" Regina asked.

"This isn't the Enchanted Forest, Regina. This is Storybrooke and everything's different here." Emma rubbed her arm where the wolf's teeth had grazed her skin. Then she looked back up to the older woman. "Thank you," she whispered. "You saved my life."

Regina didn't answer. Instead she stood up and extended her hand for Emma to take. She let her fingers slide against Regina's as she accepted the gesture and the dark haired woman pulled her up. They stood closely together, their bodies mere inches apart. Emma became aware of the heavy beating of her heart as she let her eyes trail up to meet Regina's.

Regina whispered, a hint of a smile tugging at her cheeks. Her hand didn't let go of Emma's. "We're even now."

* * *

**Let me know what you think, guys**..


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

The town was in uproar by the time they made it back. What they found when they walked down Main Street was a crowd of people, most of them witch fear written across their faces. Granny seemed to be leading them and she looked up when she discovered Emma and Regina walking towards them. One glance told her Emma was hurt and she rushed to the blonde's side. She pulled Emma's arm towards her and immediately recognised the superficial wounds left behind by the teeth of a wolf.

"Did you see her?" she asked as worry reflected in her eyes. "Did you see Ruby?"

"Oh I saw her allright," Emma groaned and glanced at Regina. The dark haired woman's face was illuminated by the silver moonlight and she recognised the fear. The whole town was afraid. There was a wolf on the loose. "What happened to her?"

"It's wolf's time and she doesn't have her hood," Granny said slowly. "Before the Curse was broken Ruby was fine. There was no magic here so she couldn't change. Everything's different now. When the Curse was cast her hood must have gotten lost. We looked for it everywhere but couldn't find it. I tried locking her in but there's no fighting her once she's changed."

"She learnt to control herself," said Mary Margaret as she broke free from the crowd. Granny sighed in relief when she spotted the other woman walking towards her. Mary Margaret clutched a bow and a set of arrows. "Back in the Enchanted Forest, she could control when she became a wolf. Why can't she do it now?"

"Because magic is different here," Emma said, remembering what she had heard everyone else around her say.

"Are you ok?" Mary Margaret asked and inspected her daughter's arm. She reached out to touch the gash across Emma's forearm and the blonde flinched in pain. "You're hurt!"

"I'm fine," Emma rejected her mother's kindness and pulled free from her hands. The last thing she wanted right now was to be smothered. "Regina saved my life."

"She did?" Mary Margaret sounded surprised and she looked up at the other woman. Every time she laid eyes on Regina she was reminded that she no longer looked like the Evil Queen but that she was still the same person on the inside. It was impossible to separate those facts and even now, as Emma pointed out that she had saved her life, she couldn't see it. Regina had saved her once but it had only made their lives miserable.

"Snow!" Mary Margaret turned around when the sound of David's voice reached her. He appeared from the crowd of people, looking unnerved. "I've looked everywhere but I can't find…" His voice trailed off when he discovered Emma, flanked by Regina, her arm covered in blood. His eyes widened. "I've been looking everywhere for you. Ruby got out."

"Yeah," Emma groaned. She showed her arm. "I know."

"What do we do?" Regina asked.

"You don't do anything," David snapped and took a few steps towards the dark haired woman, entering her personal space. "I think you've done enough, don't you think?!"

"Hey!" Emma stepped in, separating David from Regina as it looked like he was about to smack her in the face. "You don't talk to her that way. In case you haven't noticed, I'm only standing here because Regina threw herself over my body when Ruby attacked me. If it hadn't been for her, you probably would have found whatever was left of me in the woods at dawn!"

The sound of a wolf howling silenced them all and Emma felt a shiver creep down her spine. Her eyes darted around Main Street but in her heart she knew Ruby wasn't here. The sound came from further away, the outskirts of town towards the docks. The first howl was followed by a second and the crowd started moving as one man, moving in the direction where the beast was hiding.

"What are you going to do?" Emma asked David as she increased her pace to keep up with him. "I saw what she is, David. She isn't going to sit there and listen to you!"

"You don't know Red like we do," David interjected and his blue eyes were blazing. "If you don't want to come then stay here. Find some other way to bring Ruby back safely." His eyes briefly snapped to Regina. "Remember what they wanted to do to you when the Curse was broken? Most of these people don't take well to a wolf living in town. We have to find Ruby before they do otherwise it will be her body we find in the woods tomorrow instead!"

Emma fell behind and watched her father storm off into the distance. Regina, who had been walking a few steps behind her, stopped too and shot the blonde Sherriff a sideways glance. "I can see where you get your hard-headedness from."

Emma's eyes narrowed. "We need to get to Gold."

"Why?" Regina asked apprehensively.

"He's the one who can do magic," Emma said. "We need to talk to him."

"Wait." Regina's hand closed around Emma's uninjured arm and she stopped her from leaving. The warm feeling spread throug her without warning. catching her by surprise. "Aren't you going to ask what happened out there in the woods tonight?" Dark eyes found Emma's blue. "Emma, what happened wasn't natural."

"Being attacked by your friend who turned into a wolf isn't natural?" Emma rolled her eyes. "Gees, I thought it was."

"I don't mean Red," Regina clarified. "I meant you."

"Me?" Emma blinked. "What have I got to do with any of this?"

Regina took a step towards Emma. Suddenly she was as close as she had been to her in the woods. She remembered her body pressed flush against Emma's. It had caused a rush of adrenaline in her blood. All her natural instincts had taken over from any common sense she possessed as she protected the younger woman with her life. As she looked at Emma, all those emotions slowly reached the surface again. "You used magic."

"I did… _what_?" Emma whispered and stared at Regina in shock. "I thought that was you!"

Regina held out her hand, willing for a ball of fire to appear. The only thing that happened was a fine plume of smoke that circled up from the tip of her fingers and vanished into thin air. She shook her head. "You see, Emma? I can't do magic. Gold has made it impossible. Whatever happened out there, it came from you." Her gaze dropped, lingering on Emma's chest. "It came from inside you."

"Can we talk about this later?" Emma changed the subject and her hand shot down to Regina's in an attempt to drag her along. "We need to get to Gold before someone ends up dead."

They ran across Main Street towards Gold's pawnshop. The closed sign hung in the window but Emma didn't care. She banged on the door with both her fists, ignoring the pain in her arm, and her frustration only grew when no one came to answer the door. She pushed Regina away before taking a few steps back herself. Before Regina could ask what she was going to do she planted the sole of her boot firmly against the lock and kicked. The wood began to splinter as she repeated the action two more times.

The door suddenly flew open and revealed Gold, as per always dressed in his immaculate black suit. He eyed up the two women outside and instantly noticed the despair flickering in Emma's eyes. "Didn't anyone ever tell you to knock, Miss Swan?"

"Didn't anyone ever tell you to answer the door?" she bit back. She brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes and stepped into the shop without waiting for invitation. Gold stepped aside as the blonde pushed past him. "We need to talk."

"I suppose we do," he said slowly. "You can start by explaining why you felt the need to kick down my door."

"Ruby," Emma said sharply. "What did you do with her cloak?"

"You mean that shabby red thing that stops her from changing into a wolf every full moon?"

Emma's eyes darkened. "Do you have it?"

"No."

"Who has it?" Regina asked before Emma could speak. She stepped in front of the younger woman, shielding her from Gold as he made his way around the counter. He pressed his fingertips together as he eyed up the women in front of him, the hint of a smile dancing across his lips. She felt the loathing boil up inside the pit of her stomach. "Tell me, you despicable little imp. Who has Ruby's hood?"

"You tell me, Your Majesty. You're the one who cast the Curse."

Regina leant in, her hands pressed flat against the glass surface of the counter. "And you're the one who made it."

"Is there any way we can help her?" Emma wanted to know. The echo of despair in her voice was obvious. She was desperate to find a way to protect and save her friend, as well as everyone else in Storybrooke. They couldn't risk Ruby roaming free every month. "Is there some potion you can give her that will stop her from changing every time the moon is full? I mean, there must be something we can do!"

"I'm afraid I can't help you, Miss Swan," Gold answered.

"You're lying." Emma's eyes narrowed. "You don't want to help us."

Gold didn't answer and Emma turned around. She was half way out of the door when she noticed Regina hadn't followed her and she turned back around. Gold and Regina stared at each other in what could only be described as a silent standoff. Loathing flickered in both their eyes and for a moment Emma wondered if she had ever come across two people who hated each other more than these two did. Even the hatred Regina felt for her mother seemed nothing compared to this.

"Remember, dearie," Gold spoke suddenly as he held Regina's gaze. "We have a deal."

Regina's face fell. "You know I always keep my word," she hissed. "As long as you keep yours."

Gold looked past Regina at Emma, noticing how the blonde watched them with great curiosity. "You forget that I know everything that happens in this town, Regina. Like you, I have eyes everywhere. Nothing stays unnoticed." He paused. "_Nothing_."

"You keep quiet," Regina said warningly.

Gold merely nodded and looked on as Regina turned on her heel and joined Emma at the door. He didn't muss how Regina's hand pressed softly against the small of Emma's back as she pushed the other woman out of the shop. He also didn't miss how Emma's eyes had lingered on Regina for the entire time she'd stood at the counter. The faint smile that had graced his lips only grew bigger. "Things are going to get very interesting," he muttered to himself. "Very interesting indeed."

"So what are we going to do now that Gold's not helping us?" Emma asked. "We can't just let Ruby run around like this." She ran her fingers through her hair. "I saw his face. I can tell when people are lying and he…. He was telling the truth. He doesn't have Ruby's hood."

"Come with me," Regina suddenly said and started down the road. Emma followed.

"Regina, where are we going? What are you doing?"

"Call it a gut instinct."

Less than ten minutes later they reached the Sherriff's station and Regina urged Emma to unlock the door. Once inside the disappeared down one of the corridors and Emma followed. The sound of their footsteps echoed through the empty building. Regina stopped outside a door Emma had never opened before, although she had walked past it several times. EVIDENCE was written across the tinted window with bold, black letters. Regina fumbled with the keys before finding the right one and unlocked the door. She stepped into the small room and her fingers searched the wall for a light switch. A second later the room was bathing in golden light.

"How did all this stuff get here?" Emma asked as she looked around. Stacks of boxes were cramped into the small room. The stacks were as high as they were and she let her eyes dance across the handwritten notes stuck to them. "What is this?"

"A handful of items Rumpelstiltskin didn't get hold of when we were transported here," Regina said slowly. "Consider it a place of a safe keeping."

"You think Ruby's hood is here?" Emma whispered. "In one of these boxes? You sure about this?"

"No," Regina answered as she walked over to one of the boxes and opened it. A cloud of dust filled the room as she disturbed the content and she covered her nose with her sleeve. "But it's the only chance we have."

Emma followed Regina's example and started opening boxes. The first two only contained books, none of which made any sense to her. The third one she pulled towards her however was home to something far more interesting and Emma slowly withdrew her hand from the box holding an object in her hand. She turned around to Regina, who had picked up another box and was about to open it. "What's this?" she wanted to know and the dark haired woman turned around.

Regina's eyes widened when she saw the dagger in Emma's hand. She'd pulled it from its sheath and the blade glistened in the bright light. The handle was covered in leather and encrusted with small, blood red gemstones. A memory welled up from the darkest depths of her mind as she slowly walked through the room and took the blade from Emma's hands. Soft fingers grazed across the open palms of her hands, startling them both.

"This is the blade of my Huntsman," Regina said lovingly as she held the dagger up to the light. "I gave it to him the night I asked him to fulfil my only wish."

Emma's eyes widened. "This is the knife you gave to the man who was supposed to cut out Snow White's heart?"

"So you know the story," Regina said cynically. "Relax, he never used it." She slid the dagger back into its sheath and handed it back to Emma. "You may want to hold on to this. Who knows what else lurks out there in the darkness now that the Curse has been broken."

"How would Ruby's cloak have found its way here?" Emma wondered as she put the blade down on the floor. "Why would you have it?"

"I don't know if I do," Regina admitted, suddenly aware that she could feel Emma's eyes burn into her back. "All I know is that Gold doesn't have it." She opened another box and gasped when she removed a couple of old robes and dropped them to the floor. She reached into the box again and slowly pulled out a bright red cloak. Regina turned around to Emma and their eyes found each other. "I found it."

"What?" Emma whispered and in her rush to get up she knocked over the box she'd been looking in. She quickly walked over to Regina and took the cloak from her. Their eyes found each other and she smiled in relief. The tension in the room shifted. "You did it."

"Come on, we have to find Ruby and the others," Regina said and took Emma's hand. The touch made them both jump as the sudden spark of electricity shot through their bodies. She released Emma's hand and took a step back, surprised by the reaction. Emma looked bewildered and questioning blue eyes looked up at Regina.

"What was that?"

"I don't know," Regina answered and stared down at the floor. "But we can't stay here. We have to go."

They left the station and stepped back out into the cool evening air. In the distance they heard voices and Emma's instincts told her to head for the docks. She knew they were almost half an hour behind the others but it felt right. She didn't know if they'd be able to catch up with them but they had to try. She clutched the cloak and increased her pace. Regina was right behind her and she followed Emma along Main Street and eventually out of the town.

Emma wasn't wrong. They caught up with the group near the docks. They were armed with torches, baseball bats and Mary Margaret still held her bow and arrows. They looked up when Emma and Regina arrived and Mary Margaret immediately recognised Ruby's cloak. As she took it from Emma's hands she looked up to her daughter. "Where did you find it?"

"I didn't," Emma said. "Regina did."

"You've done brilliantly," Mary Margaret said. "David's persuaded the others not to attack Ruby if they see her. She's probably scared and confused. She needs someone who knows her, who understands her." Hope reflected in her eyes. "Thank you, Emma. You've just saved her life."

"I FOUND HER!" David shouted from the other side of the docks and the group moved as one man to catch up with him. Mary Margaret disappeared from sight, still holding Ruby's cloak, to find her husband and her friend, leaving Emma and Regina behind.

"Should we join them?" Regina asked.

"I don't think either one of us knows what we're doing if we do," Emma admitted. "We helped them by finding the cloak. I don't think there's anything else we can do." She looked up at Regina. "Thank you for helping me find it." She paused. "And for saving my life."

"Like I said, we're even." Regina's eyes held Emma's gaze. "Have you thought about what happened in the woods tonight? The magic?"

"I…. I don't know," Emma said softly. "I don't know what happened. I didn't even know it was me." She clumsily brushed her hands along her jeans. "Why are you doing this? Helping me, I mean."

"Things are different now. Nothing's like it was before. I guess I'm just trying to find my own way."

"Well, for what it's worth," Emma said as she stepped closer to Regina. "I believe you."

She remembered what her mother had said, about having feelings for Regina. She remembered what she had felt like before, when she thought she was in love. The more she thought about it, the more she realised she didn't know what it was like to be in love. She didn't know what those feelings were like. Everyone always talked about it but she had never felt it. Not even with Henry's father. She thought she'd been in love but now she knew better. She'd been stupid and although stupidity and love looked an awful lot alike, they weren't the same thing.

"You know that if I could use magic, I still wouldn't, don't you?" Regina spoke with a quiet voice.

"Yes, I know. You're doing it for Henry."

Regina blinked. "Not just for Henry."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you remember me telling you that not having someone, is the worst curse imaginable?" Regina whispered. She moved closer to Emma. It was as if they were drawn to each other. She studied the Sherriff's face through her eyelashes. "It's true."

Emma's throat became unexplainably dry. "I know."

Kissing Regina was right up there with getting arrested and having her ass thrown in prison. It was perhaps one of the stupidest things she'd ever done but just like being locked up and figuring out her life had changed her, this changed her too. Regina's lips were surprisingly soft and sweet and they seemed to fit almost perfectly against her own. Whatever little bit of space had been left between them disappeared as their bodies came together. Regina's hands were suddenly in the back of her neck and her own arms snuck around the dark haired woman's waist.

If there ever was a moment where time seemed to freeze, this was it. There was nothing else but the two of them, lost in this very moment. Two people, who were in some ways no more than strangers and at the same time knew each other so well, found each other.

It was Emma who, albeit reluctantly, pushed Regina away from her and confused blue eyes looked up to meet a similar confused brown set. She took a step back, surprise now etched across her face, and she looked from Regina's face down to her hands and back up again. "I…" she began. "I don't know what I was… I mean…Regina…"

"I know," was all Regina said. "I know."

"What's happening?" Emma breathed. Something inside of her had changed. She felt it but couldn't explain it. It was as if something had been opened. "What is this?"

Regina swallowed. "A choice." Surprisingly kind brown eyes met Emma's. "We'll have to decide if we want to make it or not."

"I… I can't do this," Emma whispered and turned around. She started to run, as fast as her body would let her, and left Regina behind. As she ran the words just kept repeating themselves over and over again. "I can't do this…. I can't do this…." And she kept on running, just like she always ran from the painful things in her life. It was what she did. She couldn't do this. This wasn't real. None of this was real. This couldn't be happening.

She wasn't in love.

* * *

**I'd really like to hear your thoughts, folks!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Mary Margaret's apartment had never felt so safe. Emma closed the door behind her and rested with her back against it. She could now leave the world beyond these walls outside, far away from her. Here she was on her own, without Regina. Slowly the crazy beating of her heart began to settle down and Emma released her breath. The sound of footsteps above her head made her realise that Henry was here and she quickly composed herself as he made his way down the stairs. When he discovered his mother his face lit up.

"Did you find Ruby?"

"Yeah," Emma answered tiredly. "They're helping her now."

"Are you okay?" Henry asked. He sounded worried and Emma gave him a quick once over. "Because you don't look okay."

"I'm fine," she reassured her son. "I'm just going to take a shower and then I'll be just peachy." She swallowed hard. "Why don't you make yourself some hot coco and I'll see you when I come down, allright?"

She didn't wait for his reply and climbed her way up the stairs to the first floor. Mary Margaret's bathroom was tiny and now that there were four people living under the same roof, it was proving to be a challenge to get in the shower first thing in the morning. Emma locked the door behind her and slowly stripped off, leaving her clothes in a messy pile in the corner. She switched on the shower and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She was drawn to her own reflection and placed her hands on the side of the sink as she stared into her own eyes.

_What have you done, Swan? What the hell were you thinking? Out of all the people in this world, or whatever other worlds there are, you have to pick her? It's not like you've run out of other options! Trust you to pick the meanest, strangest, most dangerous woman in the whole damn world. She is the Evil Queen! And you, Swan, are out of your mind!_

Emma turned away from the mirror and stepped into the shower. She slowly tilted her head backwards and let the warm water wash away the dried blood on her forearm and the dirt that covered her face. But what the water couldn't erase were her thoughts about Regina. As the woman's name flooded back into her mind followed by the memory of their kiss, Emma's eyes snapped open. It didn't matter how hard she tried to run from it. What happened was real and there was no way she could make it come undone.

The water was soothing and Emma sponged herself down with the fresh smelling shower gel. She washed her hair, rinsed it out and washed it a second time just to make sure she was clean. After that she just stood under the flow of hot water, her arms dangling alongside her body and countless drops of water cascading down her face.

"Emma?!" Mary Margaret's voice came from outside the door and Emma was roused from the endless thoughts in her head. For a split second she didn't know where she was but then the realisation kicked in. "Are you trying to drown yourself in there?"

"I'm almost done!" she called back and switched the shower off. She took one of the towels, dried herself off before wrapping it around her body. As she left the bathroom she found Mary Margaret waiting for her outside and she did her best to avoid making eye contact. Her mother however seemed very much tuned in and stepped in, barring her daughter from walking past her.

"What's going on?" she asked softly and searched Emma's face.

"I don't want to talk about it," Emma said quietly. "How's Ruby?"

"She's fine," Mary Margaret answered, a hint of a smile spreading across her face. "A little shaken, maybe, but fine. She didn't hurt anyone and nobody hurt her. She'll feel a whole lot better tomorrow." She cocked her head when she noticed the absent look in her daughter's eyes. "Emma, what's going on?"

"Nothing," Emma lied. She swallowed the lump in her throat away. "I need to get dressed. I'll see you downstairs, allright?"

Without waiting for Mary Margaret to answer she filed past her and disappeared into the small bedroom at the end of the hall. She closed the door behind her and heaved a sigh. Her eyes scanned the room. It was tiny, big enough only for a double bed, an arm chair and a small chest of drawers. Clothes lay scattered around the floor, due to her habit of just stripping off and slipping under the soft bed sheets at night. Emma sank down on the bed, needing a few moments to make sense out of the mess that was her mind. She heard Mary Margaret's footsteps outside her door and was prepared to tell her mother to leave but it seemed that Mary Margaret changed her mind and after a couple of minutes her footsteps died out as she went downstairs.

Emma got dressed in a simple pair of grey sweatpants and white long sleeved shirt with a V-neck. Her damp hair fell down her shoulders and back and she resisted going to bed instead of downstairs but she knew Mary Margaret and Henry were waiting for her. She took a deep breath, left her bedroom and made her way down. She found Mary Margaret and Henry in the kitchen making hot chocolate and her son turned around when he heard her come down the stairs.

"You want one too?" he asked with a beaming smile.

"Sure," Emma said quietly. Her gaze lingered on him as he went about making her drink. How was she ever going to explain this to him? How was she ever going to explain this to anyone?

They took their drinks into the small living room and Henry switched on the TV. Emma curled up on the sofa with her legs pulled up underneath her and clutched the warm mug in her hands. A shiver crept down her spine as Henry sat down next to her and rested his head against her chest. She absentmindedly stroked his hair and when she looked across the room she found Mary Margaret watching her with great curiosity.

They sat peacefully for about half an hour until a knock on the door disturbed them. Mary Margaret got up to answer, expecting to see David. He'd stayed behind to make sure Ruby and Granny were allright and texted a few minutes ago to say he was on his way home. But when she opened the door it wasn't David she saw and Mary Margaret's throat went dry.

"Is Emma here?" Regina asked. The tone of her voice was soft, almost shy. "I'd like to see her."

"Errrr…. She's here," Mary Margaret answered and looked over her shoulder. Emma and Henry were still watching TV. "Emma?" The blonde's head whipped around in surprise. "Someone's here to see you."

Emma got up and walked across the apartment to the door. When she saw who stood outside all the colour drained from her face and she grabbed hold of the doorframe so tightly that her fingers turned white. "Regina," she muttered and stared down at the floor. The insane feeling she'd experienced earlier overwhelmed her once again. "What are you doing here?"

"We need to talk," Regina said. "Don't you think?"

"Everything allright?" Mary Margaret questioned as she eyed up Regina with suspicion.

"Yeah, fine," Emma answered subdued. She looked back at Regina. "I don't think talking is a good idea."

"I think it is," Regina insisted. "We need to talk about this."

It was the slight tremor in the other woman's voice that made Emma look up and see the true depth of her brown eyes. Suddenly she was lost, drowning in this endless pool of emotions. What she saw in Regina's eyes mirrored the way she felt inside and although she ached, she knew she couldn't avoid this. She gave a quiet nod and stepped out of the apartment, closing the door behind her. Now she and Regina were alone, standing closely together, and the tension between them began to build.

"Not here," Emma whispered when Regina opened her mouth to speak. She took her arm, led her down the stairs and out of the building. She walked around the back and then stopped. Nobody could see or hear them here. They were alone. She set her jaw and lifted her chin up, feigning strength when all she felt was weakness. "I'm listening."

"I don't know what happened," Regina began, "but I know magic when I see it. You, Emma, can do magic. It lives inside you, whether you want it or not. I don't know how and I don't know why but it's there." She took a couple of steps closer to the blonde woman who was leaning against the fire escape. "And when you touched me, something happened."

"Magic," Emma said softly. "It was magic."

"Yes."

"But how…."

"I don't know."

Emma shook her head. "This can't be happening. Not like this." Her eyes found Regina's. "Not with you."

"Believe me, I've thought the very same thing," Regina said. There was a hint of venom in her voice. Not all of her initial dislike for Emma seemed to have faded. An element of their mutual hatred seemed to have remained. What had drawn her to the blonde stranger the moment she arrived in Storybrooke wasn't something she could explain. The feeling of something that had been missing being found; as if a hole in her heart had been filled.

"Tell me something," Emma whispered. "About the Curse."

Regina folded her arms across her chest. "There isn't much to tell."

"Gold said he made it but you're the one who cast it." Emma's eyes narrowed. She'd been thinking about this ever since leaving Gold's shop earlier that day and she couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something about all of this seemed odd. "Gold doesn't strike me as the type of guy who just hands over such a powerful curse. He reminded you of a deal you made with him. What did you give him in return for the curse?"

Regina's face fell. The memory of how the Curse came to be in her possession was a distant one but nevertheless it was still riddled with pain. She'd never be able to forget what she had to do to get the Curse. Some sacrifices were just too great. She averted her eyes.

"I made him a promise."

"A promise?" Emma asked and arched an eyebrow in suspicion. "That's all he asked?"

"You know Rumpelstiltskin. You know nothing ever comes easy with that irritating little imp. He showed himself to me long before he gave me the curse. When we made out trait, he collected his debt." Regina's voice echoed the pain of a time long gone. She was no longer the Evil Queen. Here she was just Regina, who shared memories with a woman who had lived in a different world in a different time,

"And what debt was that?"

"My life."

Emma frowned. "Your life?"

"He made me promise that I let him live a comfortable life of wealth and riches, with status and power. I would have to honour everything he asked for, as long as he said "please." Regina heaved a sigh. "To get the Curse's true power, I had to make a sacrifice strong enough to be able to do that. I had to take the heart of the thing I loved most. Rumpelstiltskin knew that my greed and desire for power would be stronger than anything and he played on it. By forcing me to make this promise, he made sure that I'd remember it for the rest of my life."

Emma stepped closer to Regina, her eyes sweeping over a face that reflected pain and hurt. "He owned you?"

"He's owned me for a very long time." Regina averted her eyes, unable to face Emma now that she confessed to the true darkness that had dwelled within her. "There was only one way for the curse to work. I had to sacrifice the thing I loved the most. I cut out my own father's heart. Rumpelstiltskin knew that it would leave a void that could never be filled. He relied on it."

"You killed your own father?" Emma whispered and staggered backwards, away from Regina. She came to a stop against the fire escape and felt disgust well up inside her. She stared at the dark haired woman in complete and utter shock. "How could you?"

"I had no choice," Regina whispered. "Not back then." Brown eyes searched for blue. "But I do have a choice now."

Emma shook her head and clenched her jaw. "How did he know? When did he get his memory back? I thought you were the only one who remembered the life before the Curse."

"When he heard your name." Regina sighed as she remembered the moment Rumpelstiltskin had used the word 'please'. She knew then that he remembered, the sane way she did. Looking back, it had been the beginning of the end. "That drop of true love he dropped onto the parchment? It meant the curse could be broken by a saviour. He knew it was you and he knew that when you came, you could destroy me. It was part of his plan all along. A safety clause, if you want. The little imp fooled me."

Emma swallowed. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I want you to know who I am, who I was," Regina whispered. "I need for you to know."

"It's not going to change anything," Emma said softly. "This can never happen, you and I. I mean, we're from different worlds and you're Henry's adoptive mother and Snow White's stepmother and…" Her voice faded as her gaze dropped to the chain around her neck. She remembered what Mother Superior had said but she banished the thought as quickly as it appeared. "I can't do this, Regina."

"Tell me you don't feel it," Regina urged. "Look me in the eye and tell me you don't feel it too."

"I do," Emma sighed. "I do….. But I can't."

Regina closed the space between them and her lips found Emma's. What started out hesitant grew in passion as the seconds began to pass. Emma's arms effortlessly slipped around Regina's neck, pulling the dark haired woman deeper into the searing kiss. Regina's hands rested on Emma's hips. The kiss tasted of sweet apples and venomous poison. It was everything it was supposed to be and more, yet it still didn't seem to be enough.

"Wait," Emma breathed when the need for oxygen drove them apart. "We shouldn't…"

"Or maybe we should," Regina interjected.

"This is wrong on so many levels; I don't even know where to start!" Emma shook her head, confusion settling in once again. "You tried to kill my parents. You tried to kill me and almost killed Henry. You created this curse that sent everyone here and God knows whatever else you've done. I can't just…. I can't just be in love with you!"

Regina's eyes darkened a little. "But you are."

"But I am," Emma admitted. Soft fingers trailed down along Regina's jawline, down the side of her neck. A feather light touch that left goose bumps across the mayor's skin.

Regina's eyes fluttered shut under the soft ministrations. "I love you, Emma Swan."

"What are we going to do?" Emma said softly. "This isn't something that's just going to happen, Regina. The world we live in, it's changed."

"We'll find a way," Regina promised and leant in for another kiss.

This time it was the kiss of lovers admitting that they were just that; lovers. There were no secrets of mysteries between them anymore. They were what they were; two broken hearts that finally started melting into one. There could only be this moment, nothing more. Neither could look beyond tonight. Dawn would bring other questions; questions they would have to face somehow, but right now, it was just the two of them and in an infinite moment of bliss they got to rejoice the fact neither of them was alone.

"You know it's not going to be easy, don't you?" Emma breathed as she rested her forehead against Regina's.

"I know," Regina answered, "Believe me, I know."

"You should go." Emma gently pushed Regina away and the dark haired woman's smile faded. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Regina didn't answer and slowly she walked away from the apartment building. She crossed the road and headed into the direction of Main Street, leaving Emma behind. She walked with insistent strides, determined to reach her destination. She pushed her hands into the pocket of her coat and as she walk, the look across her face hardened into a mask of victory. By the time she knocked onto the door of Gold's pawn shop, a smirk had appeared on her lips.

The door opened and she cocked her head. "We need to talk."

"As you wish, Your Majesty," Gold answered and stepped aside to let her in. He closed the door behind her without locking it and turned around just in time to see Regina inspect a couple of the items on a glass shelf behind the counter. He leant on his cane. "What can I do for you?"

"Our deal," Regina said slowly. "I want my end of the bargain."

"Do my ears deceive me?" Gold asked and he seemed amused by her request. "Last time I checked, you haven't lived up to your part of the deal yet, dearie."

"I got her to admit she loves me," Regina hissed. "That's what you wanted, isn't it?"

"What I said was that I want the proof of her love for you," Gold said knowingly and Regina's eyes were blazing. "You know just as well as I do that a mere word isn't going to suffice."

"You want me to…"

He chuckled. "What was it dear Cora said again?" He watched the confusion spread across Regina's face. "Oh yes, dearie. Love _is _weakness."

Regina swallowed. "And if I do this you'll give me back my magic?"

"Of course," Gold answered. "If you keep to your end of the deal, I'll give you everything."

"Fine." Regina started for the door. "Have it your way." She turned around in the open door. "Consider it done."

Gold watched her leave and went to close the door. He saw her figure disappear down the street and smiled to himself. "Let's see about that, shall we?" he mused. "Let's just see about that."

* * *

**Well? Let's hear it, people...**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

When Emma closed the door the apartment behind her, she found Mary Margaret sitting on the bottom step of the stairs. She looked up when she heard her daughter come in and their eyes found each other across the distance of the room. Emma tried to look away, feeling guilt well up inside of her, but Mary Margaret wasn't letting her go that easy. She stood up and walked over to the door, leaving Emma without an escape.

"What's going on between you and Regina?" Mary Margaret wanted to know. Emma peered up through her eyelashes and watched as the other woman folded her arms across her chest in defiance. "And don't give me the 'we'll talk about this later' speech. We're going to talk about this right now."

Emma sighed. "It's… complicated."

"Complicated?" Mary Margaret echoed. "What do you mean, complicated?"

"Do we have to do this now?" Emma exclaimed. Her eyes scanned the apartment. Her son was no longer in the living room. "Where's Henry?"

"David's tucking him in," Mary Margaret answered. Her eyes narrowed. "He mentioned seeing you outside, with Regina…"

"Oh God." Emma felt the bile rise up in the back of her throat. "Exactly what did he see?"

"What should he have seen?" Mary Margaret challenged. When her daughter didn't answer she sighed. "He saw you two talking, allright? He said it looked like you guys were having some kind of discussion but he wanted to get back inside to talk to me about Ruby so he didn't stay and listen."

Emma felt herself relax. At least David hadn't seen them kiss. She couldn't think of a worse way for her parents to find out exactly what was happening between her and Regina. In fact, she barely knew herself what was happening. Like everything else in life, this wasn't simple. It seemed she had a knack for doing things the hard way, running into trouble along the way. Never a dull day in the life of Emma Swan, that's one thing she knew for sure. She chewed the inside of her cheek and picked at her fingernails. She didn't know where to start or what to say. She didn't even know if there was anything to say. What did she and Regina talk about? The fact they both felt the attraction?

Regina had admitted she was in love with her.

"Fuck," Emma muttered under her breath.

"_What_ is going on with you, Emma?" Mary Margaret challenged. "Ever since the Curse broke, you've been acting odd. And this whole thing with Regina…"

"This whole thing with Regina is something that…" Emma's voice faded and she shook her head. Golden locks danced around her head. "Something that…. I don't know how to talk about." She had to find some way to start this conversation. She knew Mary Margaret wasn't going to let this go. Not tonight, not after Regina had come looking for her. "Do you remember what you asked me? About Regina?"

"What did I ask you about Regina?"

"If it was possible I had feelings for her?"

Mary Margaret's eyes widened in horror as she slowly began to understand what the blonde was trying to say. "Emma…."

"No," Emma cut her off. "I don't want you to talk. I want you to just listen. I need you to listen because if you start talking I'll lose whatever it is I'm trying to say and then it will just get worse. I don't even know where to start or what to think because none of this makes sense but I keep thinking about what you said and after Regina saved me…." The words just kept coming, as if someone had pushed a button somewhere. "I kissed her and…. And…"

"You kissed _Regina_?!"

It was David. He stood halfway down the stairs, dressed in his favourite pair of jeans, zip up jacket and a t-shirt. He stared at his daughter in a mixture of contempt and disgust. His hands grabbed hold of the railing, his knuckles turning white. The anger flashed through his eyes. "Emma, what the hell were you thinking?!"

"If I knew then I wouldn't be feeling the way I do right now," Emma countered.

"Emma, this is Regina we're talking about. This is the woman who's ripped people's hearts from their chest and squeezed just as long until they died at her feet. She isn't like us. Regina will only be happy if she can hurt other people," Mary Margaret said and attempted to take her daughter's hand but Emma pulled away. "Whatever she told you, you can't let her get to you. Its lies, Emma. All of it."

Emma slowly looked up to meet Mary Margaret's eyes. She pierced her eyes into her mother's and her features hardened. "Even the part where she told me she loved me?"

"What?"

"Regina told me she loves me," Emma said quietly. She remembered Regina's eyes when she spoke those words. It didn't matter how badly she wanted to ignore the way she felt inside, she wouldn't be able to ignore the way Regina had looked at her. She had never seen her more vulnerable and honest then in that moment. "I don't know what it means to me but I know it means something to her."

"Emma, she's lying to you! Regina never loved anyone!" David raised his voice enough for Emma to look in his direction. He had never been this angry. "The woman doesn't have a heart."

"You know that's not true, David," Mary Margaret interrupted her husband. "Have you forgotten how Regina came to be the way she is? She did love someone once. It was because that love was taken from her that she became the Evil Queen." She looked back at Emma. "But Regina can't love anyone anymore, Emma. Her heart and soul are too dark, too rotten. All Regina knows is how to lie."

"How do you know?" Emma interjected. "How do you know that she hasn't changed, the same way you've changed?"

"I know Regina," Mary Margaret said. "I know what she is!"

"You know what she was!" Emma's eyes were blazing. She swallowed hard and pulled her sweater down enough for Mary Margaret to see the chain around her neck. "Remember when you saw this? Do you remember telling me what it was, what it meant?"

"You don't think that the ring is meant for Regina, do you?!" Mary Margaret shook her head in disbelief. "Emma, that ring is destined for your true love, whomever that may be. But it can't be Regina!"

"You know what, I was wrong," Emma said darkly. "I thought that you, of all people, would understand." She turned around and started for the door but Mary Margaret was quick to catch up with her and grabbed her arm. David was right behind her. Emma tried to shake her arm free from her mother's grip but Mary Margaret's fingers only tightened around her wrist. "I shouldn't have tried to explain this to you. How could you possibly understand?"

"Where are you goin?" David demanded to know as Emma managed to reach the door and opened it. She pulled herself free from Mary Margaret's grip and bolted out of the door, tripping over her feet in the haste of trying to leave. She spun around and saw her parents in the door way. Looking at them, the people who went from being her friends to her family, was exactly the way she felt; confused. None of this made any sense. None of it.

"Away from here," Emma whispered. "I need time to think and I can't do that here."

"Emma, please," Mary Margaret pleaded. "Listen to us."

"I'm not a child!" Emma suddenly shouted. "I don't need you to tell me what I can and can't do. You lost that right when you shoved me into a wardrobe into some unknown world. Neither of you has any right to stand there and try to be a parent when I've looked after myself for the last twenty-eight years." Her harsh words caused tears to well up in Mary Margaret's eyes. "This isn't the right place for me right now."

Before either of her parents could answer, Emma had sprinted down the stairs. She fled the apartment building and ran straight across the street to her yellow bug. She left it unlocked most nights, since everyone in Storybrooke knew who the vehicle belonged to and there was nothing worth stealing anyway. She took the keys from the glove box and started the engine. It roared and the car came to live. She cast one last glance in her rear view mirror and saw her parents standing on the side of the road. She swallowed hard, changed gears and drove off.

The radio instantly started playing and her hand shot down to the button to change stations but held still in mid-air when she heard the song that was playing. Dusty Springfield's voice filtered into the car and the words found their way both into Emma's mind and her heart. _"You don't have to stay forever, I will understand. Believe me, believe me, I can't help but love you…" _Her fist made contact with the radio and the voice died down. She couldn't bear listening to this now.

She drove aimlessly for about fifteen minutes before her mind became clearer. Then she changed direction and with anger boiling in her veins she turned onto the road that had only direction; away from Storybrooke. The headlights of her car illuminated the road in front of her. It was dark, without streetlights, and surrounded by woodland. With every passing minute she became more agitated and the desire to leave grew stronger. It wasn't until she spotted the sign and the line drawn across the road that the crazy beating of her heart began to slow down.

Emma slammed the brakes only a couple of metres before crossing the line. The bug came to an abrupt stop and she was thrown back into her seat. She groaned and covered her face with her hands, resting against the steering wheel. Even now, no matter how badly she wanted to, she couldn't leave. She couldn't leave Storybrooke and Henry. She couldn't leave Regina.

"You, Emma Swan, are an idiot," she whispered to herself. "What were you thinking? Regina Mills? Really?! You just had to fall in love with the one person everybody in this town hates?" She ran her fingers through her hair and longingly gazed up at the road sign saying Leaving Storybrooke. She wasn't going anywhere. She couldn't. Storybrooke was home now, for whatever stupid reason. And the more she thought about it, the more she realised there was nowhere to run to. Where could she go? Back to Boston? It wasn't like life out there had been brilliant. Even Storybrooke had more to offer.

After a few more minutes of quiet contemplation, she turned the bug around and drove back into the town. She didn't pass a single car on her way and when she turned into Main Street she was surprised to still see light burning behind one of Granny Inn's windows. She pulled up and realised it was Regina's window. She sat in her car for a little while, staring up, not sure what she was hoping to see. It wasn't until the light was switched off that she got out of the car, walked across the road and into the inn.

The desk was abandoned and Emma looked around. Neither Ruby nor her Granny were anywhere to be seen so she walked straight to the stairs and started her way up. When she reached the top she hesitated for just a moment but then carried on. She walked down the corridor to the room at the end and took a deep breath before she knocked. There was no way back now.

She heard footsteps on the other side of the door. The lock was turned and the door slowly opened. Regina arched an eyebrow in surprise when she saw Emma standing outside but the initial harshness in her eyes faded when she recognised the blonde.

"Emma?" she asked softly. "What are you doing here?"

"I…" Emma began and sighed. "I didn't know where else to go."

"Do you want to come in?" Regina stepped aside.

Emma seemed hesitant. "I don't know if that's such a good idea."

"You came here, Emma," Regina said, her fingers drumming against the door. She was dressed in a pair of light blue silk pyjamas that somehow seemed to highlight the rich tones of her hair. The only light came from the lamp on Regina's bedside table. "You tell me."

Emma filed past Regina and stepped into the room. Regina closed the door behind them and turned around to find Emma pacing. She watched the blonde Sheriff for a couple of minutes but the longer the silence lasted, the more worried she became. She walked over to her and put her hands on Emma's arms, stopping her from walking. Their gazes locked. "What happened?"

"Mary Margaret and David…" Emma began. She didn't need to say anymore.

"They know." Regina drew her conclusions and Emma nodded. "I take it they didn't respond well?"

Emma shook her head. "That's an understatement."

"Emma, I'm sorry," Regina whispered and softly placed her lips against Emma's forehead. "I shouldn't have dragged you into this."

"You didn't drag me into anything," Emma said defensively. "I fell in love with you all on my own, remember? Probably from the moment I first laid eyes on you that night I brought Henry home." She shrugged. "Not that I thought I had any chance whatsoever, but it wasn't just because of Henry that I chose to stay in Storybrooke."

"Love and hate can come really close to one another," Regina said softly. Her fingers brushed a strand of hair out of Emma's eyes. The touch was soft and feather light but it still managed to stir all kinds of feelings in Emma's stomach. She longed for that touch to be everlasting and rubbed her cheek against Regina's hand. "I hate that I am so drawn to you, that you managed to get so deep under my skin without even having to try. I hate that I allowed you to come close enough to hurt me if you wanted to. I hate that you make me feel vulnerable." She took a shallow breath and beautiful brown eyes found Emma's blue. "But I don't hate _you_, Emma Swan."

"I know," Emma breathed and her lips found Regina's in a tentative, almost shy kiss. The brazen passion they'd shared earlier that night seemed to have faded, only to be replaced by the tenderness that was here right now. "I know."

"Don't leave tonight," Regina whispered as her fingers entwined with Emma's. "Stay with me."

Emma leaned in for another kiss and softly pressed her tongue against Regina's lips. The dark haired woman willingly allowed her in and the kiss grew in strength and intensity. Regina's slender fingers found the hem of Emma's shirt and crept underneath, grazing against the warm flesh of her stomach. Emma's hands found their way into Regina's hair before sliding down across her shoulders before eventually encountering the top button of her pyjama shirt. Her breath hitched when Regina's lips travelled from her mouth to the side of her neck and sucked down on her pulse. Her hands were shaking as she slowly began unbuttoning Regina's shirt and slid the fabric away from her body, revealing the secrets that lay hidden underneath.

Regina pulled Emma's shirt over her head before claiming her lips again. She spun the blonde around and pushed her towards the bed. Emma landed on her back and Regina hovered over her for a couple of seconds. A mixture of predatory lust and love flickered behind her eyes as she softly kissed her way up from the waistband of Emma's sweats to the valley between her breasts. Exploring fingers followed the outline of her bra and her hot breath tickled Emma's skin as the blonde arched her back.

"Tell me you won't leave," Regina said softly as she pressed her lips against Emma's. "Don't leave."

"I won't," Emma sighed just as Regina's fingers began to dip behind her sweats. "I won't."

~()~

Golden sunlight filtered into the room through the partially drawn curtains, caressing her face. Emma's eyes slowly fluttered open and she lazily stretched out. The bed was comfortable and warm but slowly the realisation began to dawn that this wasn't her bed. She looked around. The bed, although warm, was empty. Her clothes lay scattered around on the floor and the sheets were wrapped around her naked body. Then she remembered. _Regina._

Emma sat up with a jolt and scanned the room. It was empty. Her gaze then fell on the cup of coffee standing on the small desk by the window. A piece of paper was propped up against it. She slipped out of bed, wrapping the sheet a little tighter around her body, and padded across the room. She picked up the paper and folded it open. The neat handwriting spelled out a simple message.

_I hope the coffee's still warm when you wake up. There's something I need to do. I'll call you later.  
_

Emma smiled to herself and picked up the styrofoam cup. She took a small sip and found that the coffee was still pleasantly warm. She carried the cup back to the bed and climbed back in. Regina's pyjamas lay at the end of the bed, neatly folded. Emma felt her cheeks redden as she remembered what had happened in this room the previous night. She waited for the guilt and the regret to come but it didn't happen.

Not far from the inn, Regina closed the door to Gold's pawn shop behind her. She'd managed to get here unseen, which was tricky when everybody was up and about making their way to work. She let her eyes adapt to the dimly lit surroundings and slowly walked across the shop towards the counter. Gold, who had been flicking through that morning's edition of the newspaper, looked up. Curiosity flickered in his eyes.

"Well, well, well," he said and folded the paper. "Do my eyes deceive me or is that the face of a woman who has come to live up to her end of the deal?"

"Hold your tongue," Regina commanded. The anger in his voice was enough to make Gold raise his eyebrows in surprise. "I came here to tell you that I no longer want this deal."

"What?" he whispered, a sly grin spreading across his face. "The Evil Queen doesn't want her magic back?"

"Not if getting it requires doing the one thing I can't do."

"Oh but you can. You have done it before, without even a hint of hesitation," Gold answered and leaned across the counter. Their gazes locked and they were both momentarily taken back to the time where they had stood face to face like this, separated only by magical prison bars. It was there that he told her that the sacrifice she had to make was far greater than she had dared to believe. And now the moment repeated itself. "It's so easy. You know it will solve all your problems. You can have everything."

"No." Regina's tone was sharp and dismissive. Tears glistened in her eyes. "I can't."

Gold's jaw dropped and he chuckled in amusement. The pieces began to fall into place. "Lost our strength, have we, dearie? You should have taken a page from your mother's book when you had the chance, Regina. She would never have hesitated to get all the power she wanted. Cora knew how to handle it. She wouldn't have allowed herself to fall in love."

"What do you know about love, Rumpel?" Regina hissed. "Your wife abandoned you for a pirate. Who could ever love a coward like you? Not even your son could bear the thought of having you as his father! I can't do this! I _love _her!"

"You should have thought about that before you came asking for my help. You wanted your magic, whatever the cost. You want Henry back. There is only one way for you to have those things. You gave me your word, dearie," Gold stated. His eyes darkened. "There's no way out of a deal. You made a promise." His eyes pierced into Regina's and he could see her torment and her pain .It excited him. The game just took a completely different course. "You're going to have to keep it."

Regina swallowed. "And if I don't?"

"Then I'll have to deal with Miss Swan as well as you," Gold answered menacingly and Regina took a few steps away from the counter. "It's up to you." He shrugged. "You're going to have to choose."

* * *

**So... this is where we are... Let me hear your thoughts!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Regina stared at the small waves crashing against the side of the neglected fishing boat. In the distance she could hear the seagulls cry and a firm breeze pulled at her hair. She'd pushed her hands ito the pockets of her black leather coat and wrapped a scarf around her neck, protecting herself from the biting sea winds. She had never felt so forlorn, so terribly empty, as she did right now. There was no way out of this. The more she thought about it, the more trapped she became.

From the depths of her memories came her mother's voice, whispering like a haunting echo. _Love is weakness. _She didn't believe her, not even when she watched Daniel die in front of her own eyes. It was in that moment that even the smallest shred of love she'd harboured for her mother turned into the purest of hatred. Cora was nothing to her now but a memory but the memory scarred her still. What her mother did to her, left something behind that could never really heal.

She'd watched the person she loved die once, through no fault of her own other than being foolish enough to believe in true love. Never had she dared to think that any of those feelings could find her again. She'd believed love to be dead. In Storybrooke, before the Curse was broken, there was no love; she'd made damn sure of that. There were no happy ever afters, not even her own as it turned out to be. That kind of thing had become a thing of the past, written only on the pages of a fairy tale book.

Everything was different now. Things had changed. She had changed. In a way she had never thought she could. To feel like she did when she was eighteen, the world still full of wonder and void of her mother's depravity. Here she was, at the start of something new. She knew what she had been, what she had become over time, but as she stood staring at the ocean Regina knew that the Evil Queen was no longer all she was. She looked at the faces of those around her and knew, deep down, they were also not who they used to be yet no one dared to admit it.

Emma had changed everything from the moment she drove into Storybrooke, bringing Henry back to where she believed he belonged. She just walked into her life, knocking down whatever guards she had as if it was nothing. Regina had built those walls carefully, locking out all of the people who could hurt her. She wasn't going to let anyone come close, she didn't allow them to see the person behind the mask, and then there was Emma. The blonde just waltzed right in and suddenly she felt _something_. She'd felt nothing for far too long. The emptiness left behind after her father's death, the punishment for casting the Curse and her own greed, seemed to slowly fade. It was replaced by raging feelings that were so overwhelming that they angered her at first but now, now she was no longer angry or afraid. Now she was ready to just_ be_.

Regina looked down at her hands. The very same hands that had ripped out her father's heart. She knew what these hands were capable off, she remembered every detail of what they had done. It had been her anger, her hatred, that had turned her into the person she became. She heaved a sigh as she slowly clenched and then relaxed her fingers. Once the mere motion would have rested into magic but now nothing came.

"Regina?"

She looked up at the sound of Emma's voice and turned around. She saw the blonde appear from behind one of the buildings, a hint of a smile lingering on her lips. She seemed hesitant, as if she was unsure whether to come closer or not.

"What are you doing here?" Regina asked softly.

"Looking for you," Emma admitted. "I've been all over town. Archie told me he saw you walk this way." She walked up to Regina and her fingers briefly ghosted across the back of her hand. It was enough to spark a raging fire in Regina's stomach. Emma's eyes lingered on the view in front of them. The docks weren't exactly beautiful but somehow they were peaceful. "Why are you here?"

"I needed some time to think," Regina said slowly. She cast Emma a sideways glance and was struck by the overwhelming desire to just hold her. She couldn't remember ever feeling this way about anyone, not even Daniel. This was different. This was new. She swallowed hard as the thought of Gold crept into her mind. It was instantly followed by a dull ache in her chest. "I'm sorry I didn't call."

"S'allright." Emma didn't look at Regina. The silence between them lingered for a few more minutes until eventually she took a deep breath. "I… I don't know what to say."

"That makes two of us."

Slowly Emma turned to look at Regina and when their eyes found each other she noticed that Regina's brown orbs were no longer reflecting the same hint of happiness she'd seen the night before. "Is everything OK?" she asked softly and her hand found Regina's. They fitted perfectly together.

"I'm fine," Regina lied. "A little overwhelmed, perhaps."

Emma looked back at the ocean. "Yeah, I know that feeling."

"Do you regret what happened?" Regina wanted to know.

"No." Emma's answer was short but truthful. "I don't."

"Good. Neither do I."

Emma's eyes closed for a couple of second as she tried to come up with the right words to say. Ever since leaving the inn and looking for Regina, she'd playing this conversation over and over again in her head and she hadn't even dared think about the one she would have to have with Mary Margaret at some point. She sighed, opened her eyes and looked at the other woman. "What are we going to do? We can't stay here forever. At some point we're going to have to go back to town."

"I know," Regina replied. "I've been asking myself that same question, Emma." The hint of sadness in her voice cut right through Emma's heart. "I keep wishing that the Curse was still in place. At least then people would look at this differently. Now all they're seeing is the Evil Queen and the Saviour. No one's going to be happy about this."

"Henry might be," Emma suggested. "He loves both of us. I'm sure he'd be happy to find out that his moms have found some way of getting along."

"Don't kid yourself," Regina interjected. "Not even Henry's going to like this." She moved closer to Emma and felt herself relax when the Sheriff's arm snuck around her waist, pulling her in. "I don't know what we're going to do."

Emma softly kissed Regina's hair. She knew what she was about to say was crazy but at this moment it seemed like the easiest option. She brought her lips close to Regina's ear and whispered, "We could leave Storybrooke."

Regina's head snapped up. "Leave Storybrooke?!"

"I know it's a crazy idea but…"

"You know what happens when people cross that line, don't you? They lose their memory of the Enchanted Forest completely and will permanently become who they were in Storybrooke!"

"I know," Emma whispered and leaned in. Her lips brushed against Regina's for the faintest of kisses. "But even as Regina Mills you'll still remember me. You'll _always_ remember me."

"What about Henry?" Regina breathed. She longed to feel Emma's lips again.

"We can take him with us," Emma said softly. She squeezed Regina's hand. "We can be a real family. We'll go to Boston. I still have six months left on my lease. We can move into my old apartment until we find something more suitable. Nobody will ever be able to find you there; nobody will know who you are. You'll just be Regina."

Losing her memories of the Enchanted Forest meant losing everything; the memory of her father's voice, the sound of her own childhood laughter. It was a sacrifice in an entirely different way.

Regina slowly pulled her hand out of Emma's. Her eyes swam with tears. "We'll think of something," she said as she brought Emma's hand up to her lips and kissed it. Their eyes found each other "I know we will."

"I'm going to have to go back," Emma sighed. "I'm going to have to face Mary Margaret."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No. This is going to be difficult enough." Emma swallowed hard and rested her forehead against Regina's. "If this doesn't work out the way we planned, we'll leave. I don't care about anything else but I'm not losing you. Meet me at the line tomorrow at midnight. We can decide then."

Regina merely nodded and looked on as Emma began walking her way back to Storybrooke. A single tear trickled down her cheek as she watched the blonde disappear from her sight. Once she was sure Emma was gone she turned back to look at the ocean and the tears started to stream down her face. Everything around her seemed to be falling apart. Whatever decision she made, whichever way she decided to go, she'd lose. Leaving Storybrooke meant defying Gold. She wouldn't be able to ever live up to her end of the deal. If she left Storybrooke, the Evil Queen would be dead.

"Such an emotional sight."

The sound of Gold's voice sent a shiver down her spine and her head whipped around, tears still sliding down her cheeks. He stood maybe six feet behind her, his eyes fixed on her and the hint of a smirk across his face. Slowly he walked towards her, putting his weight on his cane with every other step. When he reached her his eyes pierced into hers.

"I do hope you're not planning on accepting Miss Swan's offer?"

"What are you talking about?" Regina bit back.

"Leaving Storybrooke, of course," Gold replied. He watched the horror spread across Regina's face when she realised he overheard their conversation and his eyebrow arched knowingly. "You forget I know everything that happens in this town. And I'm telling you, Regina, you can't leave." He took a step towards her. "You know that if you leave Storybrooke, I will find a way to find you and when I do…. It won't be pretty."

"If you leave you won't remember who you are," Regina countered. "You won't be able to use magic."

"You forget I can use magic _now_," Gold said sweetly. "I have my ways and I fully intend to use them and when I do, it won't be just you I'll be looking for. It'll be Miss Swan and your son and you know that I always keep my word."

"You're leaving me no choice, are you?" she whispered. "You're not going to let me go."

"No."

"Why?" she breathed. "Why do you want me to get my magic back? You're the only one in power now. Why do you need me?"

Gold smirked. "It's just another piece of the puzzle."

"And Emma?"

"Not in it."

Regina's throat became dry. "No…"

Gold turned around and began walking away. "It's up to you now, Your Majesty. You have until tomorrow midnight." He looked back over his shoulder, taking in the sight of Regina's tear stained face. The grin on his face was nothing short of twisted. "On the stroke of twelve, the spell will be broken, and everything will be as it was before."

She was left standing alone as he disappeared and in complete and utter desperation she covered her face with her hands and cried.

~()~

Emma hovered outside Mary Margaret's apartment for a good ten minutes before finding the nerve to climb the stairs. It was late morning and she wasn't even sure if her mother was home. Her hand dipped into the pocket of her sweats and found the key. She pushed it into the lock but before she could turn it the door swung open, revealing a worried looking Mary Margaret. David stood a couple of steps behind her. Emma couldn't read his face.

"Emma!" Mary Margaret exclaimed. "Where have you been?!"

"I needed time to think," Emma lied and stepped into the apartment as Mary Margaret closed the door behind her. "I wanted to be alone."

"And being alone involved being with Regina?" David spat.

Emma's eyes snapped up in shock. She didn't know how they had figured out where she'd been. "What?!"

"Ruby told us," David said sharply and it immediately made sense to Emma. She'd underestimated Ruby's wolf instincts. "She said she could pick up your scent at the inn. She also said that you didn't leave till this morning. You were with Regina, weren't you?"

"Just tell us, Emma," Mary Margaret pushed. She was trying to be gentle but Emma could tell that she just wanted to know the truth. "Were you with her?"

"Yes!" Emma exclaimed in frustration and she watched the shock spread across Mary Margaret's face. It was as if, deep down, she didn't want to believe that her daughter had been with Regina but now that the truth was out she couldn't deny it any longer. The shock was replaced with sadness and Emma ran her fingers through her hair. She was frustrated and angry. "Yes, I was with Regina. Are you happy now?!"

David reached Emma. His face was red with anger. "Didn't you hear a word of what we said yesterday? Did you even listen to us at all?!"

"David!" Mary Margaret urged. "Don't."

"If I won't tell her, nobody else will!" David retorted. "She needs to know!"

"I'm twenty eight years old!" Emma shouted. "I can make my own decisions. I've been making them for as long as I can remember and so far I've done just fine!" Her words echoed the reminder of being abandoned and she could see the memory dawn in her parents' eyes. "I know what you've told me about Regina and I know that you're wrong about her." She swallowed. "Look, I didn't mean for this to happen but it did so we're going to have to try to make the best out of it."

"What's going on?" Henry had appeared half way down the stairs. He looked from Emma to Mary Margaret and David. "Why are you fighting?"

"We're not fighting, kid," Emma reassured him. She walked up to him and ruffled his hair. He smiled a little. She looked back at her parents. "We're just… having a difference of opinion."

"You might as well tell him," David pushed.

"David, no." Mary Margaret disagreed. "This isn't fair."

His eyes darkened. "I can think of plenty of other things that aren't fair either. Most of them involve Regina."

"Mom?" Henry asked timidly and looked up at Emma with weary eyes. "What's going on?"

Emma heaved a sigh and sank down on one the stairs. She fumbled with her fingers and tried to come up with the right words to explain to Henry what had changed between her and Regina. When she looked up to find him looking back at her in expectation she suddenly felt overwhelmed by guilt. How fair was it to inflict this on him? Could she really force him to leave Storybrooke too? Like her, he would remember what his life had been like. Would he be able to see Regina differently?

"Henry, your mom and I… we've been talking and we've realised that we don't hate each other as much as we first thought," Emma explained to him. "You know, sometimes people think they hate each other when actually they're just afraid of how the other person makes them feel." She took a deep breath. "Your mom… she…. She actually doesn't hate me at all and we…. we talked and…."

Henry's eyes widened. He was only eleven but some things just didn't need to be said. "You kissed my mom?!"

She cleared her throat. "Well, I guess…" She suddenly felt flustered and her cheeks turned an awkward shade of scarlet. "Yeah, I did." Her voice was a little unsure. "I did."

Henry studied his mother's face with great interest. If the revelation about both his mother's new found relationship surprised him, he didn't show it. "So what are you going to do now?"

"Well, we're still…"

"Nothing!" David snapped and walked up to the stairs where Emma sat with Henry. "Emma, this isn't a good idea."

Emma mentally forced herself to count to tne before opening her mouth to speak. "That's exactly what Regina and I said to each other this morning." She looked up to David and could tell that the mention of her and Regina together was enough to make his skin crawl. She held her chin up high with pride. She was willing to fight this battle if she had to. "We're going to try and figure out what this means, where it may lead."

"Henry, maybe it's best if you wait upstairs while we talk," Mary Margaret suggested. "Just for a little while, allright?"

He stood up and disappeared, leaving Emma sitting on the stairs. She didn't move but simple watched her son walk away. Once he was gone she dropped her gaze down into her lap and waited for the inevitable to come. She knew David was going to on another rant. He was probably going to lose his cool and just before he'd snap, Mary Margaret would step in to calm him down. She'd seen this kind of thing plenty of times before. People skills were her thing. She could read them like she read a book.

"Emma." She looked up when she heard Mary Margaret's softly whispering her name. "Emma, we need to talk about this."

"I'm not some fifteen year old teenage girl who needs to be told off for dating the bad boy," Emma pointed out. "It isn't your place to judge. This is something between me and Regina and we're going to have to figure this one out together." Her eyes found David. "Which is going to be hard enough without everyone else butting in."

Silence followed her words.

She slowly pushed herself up and began climbing the remainder of the stairs. When she had almost reached the top she turned around, aware someone was following her. Mary Margaret stood a couple of steps behind her. "Emma, wait," she said softly.

Emma sighed. "I don't think this is getting us anywhere."

"I know," Mary Margaret answered. "I know. But we're going to have to try."

Emma's eyes narrowed. "You know something, don't you?" She began making her way back down the stairs. "What were you talking about when I came in?" She looked past Mary Margaret at David. "Come on, it's not like I don't know you guys have been talking behind my back. What was it?"

Mary Margaret let the breath she'd been holding escape. Emma recognised the relief in her eyes. Whatever hurt she'd seen when she first talked about Regina was now replaced by a hint of happiness. Hope echoed in her voice. "There may be a way back to our own land."

"Back?" Emma questioned. "Back how? I thought you said there is no way?"

David set his jaw. "There's a rumour that Gold may know how to get back."

"And you actually believe that despicable little imp?" Emma arched an eyebrow. "Really?"

"If we want to go home then we have to believe it," Mary Margaret said. "David thinks that he's keeping something in his shop. He and Ruby will wait till nightfall and then they'll go see if it's true."

"How do they expect to get you back?" Emma wanted to know. The mere thought of returning to the other world unnerved her. Suddenly the notion of leaving Storybrooke seemed far more appealing. "It can't be another curse so what is it?"

"Magic beans," Mary Margaret explained. "They were once created by giants but eventually, all were destroyed. For many years it was believed there were none left but…" She looked over her shoulder at David and he nodded. "There's a story about the last remaining bean. It is said to be dead, void of both magic and life, but it exists nonetheless. If found, it may create a portal to our world."

"Why do you think Gold has this thing?" Emma wanted to know.

"Gold has everything," David pointed out. "If it's in Storybrooke, it's got to be with him."

"Right." Emma frowned and folded her arms across her chest. "So you and Ruby are going to break into his shop to find this bean?" He nodded. "You do realise that you just told a Sherriff that you're about to unlawfully enter a premises to steal an object that does not belong to you?"

Mary Margaret looked at her daughter. "It's the only chance we have."

Emma reluctantly nodded and sighed. "Fine. But there's something you need to know." She chewed the inside of her cheek. "Gold's not the only one who brought stuff with him from the other land. You may want to check out the evidence room at the Sherriff station. It's where Regina and I found Ruby's cloak."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"How did it get there?"

"It doesn't matter. What does matters is that it's here. You should check it."

Mary Margaret turned around to look at David. He simply nodded and turned away. Emma felt her heart sink. He wasn't going to just accept what had happened. When she looked back at Mary Margaret she came to the shocking conclusion that the same thing could be said for her mother. Mary Margaret's hand slipped away from Emma's arm as she began making her way down the stairs. Emma remained where she was, feeling as if slowly everything just slipped through her fingers.

She continued up the stairs and reached the first floor. She walked past the smallest of the bedrooms where Henry slept. His door was closed. She contemplated knocking but changed her mind and walked into the bathroom instead. She closed the door behind her, locked it and switched on the shower. Slowly she peeled her clothes away from her skin and dumped them in the basket. She stepped under the hot water and tilted her back her head in the hope it would wash away some of her conflicting emotions.

It didn't.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Ten points if you recognised the quote from a Disney movie telling the story of a character we have seen in OUAT only a handful of times. I just couldn't resist adding it, because it made for some good irony. Now, about the story. I like mysteries and I have the entire plof of this thing worked out. So where one question may be answered, another one arises. I'm serioulsy counting down for next weekend. So excited for a new episode!


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

She lay awake with her hands folded beneath her head, staring at the ceiling. The alarm clock at the side of her bed pointed at 2.36 AM. Emma groaned in frustration. She couldn't sleep. All kinds of thoughts kept running through her head. Most of them were about Regina, and the possibility of a future. She'd never even considered the possibility of a future with anyone, not even with the man who fathered Henry. Thanks to him she ended up in prison. But with Regina everything felt different. If this was what Mary Margaret was talking about when she spoke of true love, Emma found it more confusing instead of enlightening. Why did people look for this? Why would they even want these feelings, these questions? Why look for something that only seemed to cause trouble?

Her ears pricked up when she heard a noise downstairs. The sound of metal against metal, a key turning in the lock. Her heart skipped a beat as she sat up. It had to be David. She'd reluctantly let him and Ruby leave the apartment a couple of hours earlier. They had every intention of breaking into Gold's pawnshop looking for that magical way to bring them home. She knew, deep down, that she would have to arrest them if Gold reported the break-in. She just didn't know if she could.

Emma slipped out of bed, padded across her small room to the door and opened it. She tiptoed to the top of the stairs and peered down into the apartment below. A single light was on in the kitchen and she could see shadows moving. It appeared David wasn't alone. She recognised Ruby's voice but couldn't hear what she was saying. Footsteps in the kitchen. They sounded like Mary Margaret. She took a deep breath and made her way down into the room below.

"Emma!" Ruby whispered when she saw the blonde come down the stairs. Her eyes widened and she glanced at David. He just gave a quick nod, affirming that Emma knew what they'd been doing.

"Did you find it?" Emma wanted to know.

David shook his head. "No."

The disappointment written across her parents' faces told her that they had expected to find their way home hidden somewhere in Gold's shop. Emma felt sorry for them, even if she didn't know whether she herself was willing to consider the possibility of leaving fort the Enchanted Forest. She swallowed. "Did you try the evidence room?"

Ruby nodded as she slumped down on one of the chairs. "It wasn't there either."

"And you were sure that Gold had this bean?"

"Not a hundred percent sure but sure enough to break into his place to try and find it," David said. His eyes briefly met those of his wife. "We did find a few other interesting things though. Most of them belonged to us when we were still in our land. Seems Gold somehow got hold of them."

Emma arched an eyebrow. "Like….. what?"

David reached for something on the kitchen counter and Emma flinched when she recognised the item as a sword. He drew it from its sheath in one fluid motion and the weak kitchen light reflected in the blade. Emma's throat became dry. She'd seen swords in books and movies, and even in a museum, but she had never seen anyone wield it with such pride and strength as David did. She tentatively took a step towards him, eye narrowing in curiously. "What is it?"

"It's mine," he replied much to Emma's surprise. "Gold had it but it doesn't belong to him. The sword is mine."

"This…" Emma whispered as she let fingers dance over the shiny blade. "Is yours?"

"Helped me get out of a few sticky situations," David grinned and looked at Mary Margaret. She fondly looked back at him, reminded that David was more than the man he seemed to be; he really was Prince Charming. "Gold doesn't have the right to keep it. It belongs with its rightful owner."

Emma looked at Ruby. "What else did you find?"

"This," Mary Margaret answered and pointed out something that had been lying at her feet. When Emma looked down she recognised the bow and arrow. The leather strap was worn but other than that the weapon appeared to be in great shape. "It's mine."

"You know how to use one of those?" Emma asked, unable to hide her surprise at Mary Margaret's about to handle any kind of weapon.

"There's a lot of things you don't know about our world yet, Emma," Mary Margaret pointed out. "It isn't the fairy tale land you imagined it to ne. Sure, it has its beautiful sides but there's plenty of darkness too. Something only bows, arrows and swords can do this." She bent down to pick up the arrows, took one and held it between her fingers. "A single one of these can take out an ogre."

"Ogres?" Emma blinked. "You mean like Shrek?"

"No," Mary Margaret answered in all seriousness. Her eyes darkened as she remembered the dark creatures roaming the other world. "I mean like tall, ugly, blind and angry ogres."

Emma stared at her parents in shock. "What else lives in your world?"

Mary Margaret put the arrow back with the others and slowly looked up to meet her daughter's gaze. "I don't think you want to know." She glanced at her husband who was sliding his fibgers across the length of his blade. "What are we going to do now? We didn't find what we're looking for and it isn't going to take Gold very long to figure out that David and Ruby broke into his shop."

"Somehow I doubt he'll report the theft of these items," Emma interjected. "If he tells me he has items from the other world, the rest of Storybrooke will come looking for their belongings too. He won't risk that." Her eyes narrowed and an unnerving thought crept into her mind. "You didn't find anything that could teach someone to use magic, did you?"

"You're thinking of Regina?" Mary Margaret asked and Emma nodded. "Why?"

"I don't know."

"Emma, you said she doesn't want to use magic anymore."

"She doesn't."

"Then why worry?"

"Because it's not Regina I don't trust. It's Gold." Emma looked around the group and reluctantly shared the stories Regina had told her. "He was the one who originally taught her how to use magic. First it was to help her deal with her mother, Cora." The mention of Cora was enough to make Mary Margaret and David look up and Emma knew she got their attention. "After that, he just lured her into his trap of magic and power. Regina, in some way, never really stood much of a chance against him. He poisoned her long before she realised and when she did, it was too late."

"You're saying all of this is somehow Gold's fault?" David asked. "Regina had nothing to do with it?"

"I'm not saying that. I'm saying that it was Gold who created the Curse in the first place, not Regina. But he traded with her, asking only for one thing in return." Emma sighed. If she wanted people to understand Regina, they would have to know what happened. "In return for the Curse, Regina gave him a promise. She would have to do whatever he asked of her, without question. No doubt Gold had something else up his sleeve too but to put it simply, Regina didn't have much of a choice."

"Why would Rumpelstiltskin create the Dark Curse? I mean, I can see why Regina would have wanted it but why did Rumpelstiltskin make it?" David asked. "He wouldn't have had much to gain from it if he used it."

"I have no idea," Emma began. "But something tells me this is far more about Gold than Regina."

Mary Margaret looked at her daughter. "How do you know?"

"I know." Emma's answer was firm, with no room for any form of doubt. "I know."

"So what are we going to do now?" Ruby wanted to know. "If Gold does have a way back, we didn't find it. But if there never was one to begin with, we're going to have to decide what we want to do." She looked around the small circle of friends. "I know many of us want to go home. If that's what we really want then we're going to have to try and find a way."

"The only magic in Storybrooke is with Gold. Somehow I doubt he's just going to share whatever he's got with us." David slowly slid his sword back into its sheath. "We're going to have to find some other way of getting to magic."

Suddenly Mary Margaret's eyes lit up. "Fairy dust!"

"Fairy dust?" Emma frowned. "What's that gonna do?"

"If we can find Fairy dust, Blue will be able to use magic. She'll be able to find a way back!" Mary Margaret explained.

"So where are we going to find it?"

"Fairy dust is made from diamonds." Mary Margaret looked at David. They shared the same thought. "And I know just the people who can find them."

"Dwarves," Ruby said softly and Mary Margaret nodded.

"We'll have to wait till morning. It's too late now to do anything," David said. "First thing tomorrow we'll find Grumpy and the others to see if they can help." He looked at his daughter. "How convinced are you that Regina isn't going to double cross us when we find magic?"

Emma felt a flicker of hope well up in her heart. It was the first time David mentioned Regina in a way that wasn't negative of judgmental. "I have no doubts." Her blue reflected just how much she believed in Regina. "I trust her, David. Regina isn't the same woman anymore. She won't betray us. I believe her."

"We'll meet at Granny's tomorrow morning and take it from there," Mary Margaret decided. "If we want clear heads, we need to get some sleep."

Ruby nodded before getting up and walking to the door. Mary Margaret let her out, locked the door after her and turned around to find Emma leaning against the kitchen counter. She recognised the look in her eyes as concern and frowned. "Emma, what's on your mind?" she wanted to know. "I know that look…"

"You're really serious, aren't you?" Emma asked. "About going back there?"

"Of course we are," David chimed in. "It's where we belong." He fixes his gaze on his daughter. "Its where you belong too."

"Is it? Because I've never known anything other than this world and I don't know if I'm ready to share my space with ogres just yet," Emma said. "I don't know if I am ready to live in a world like yours." She looked from Mary Margaret to David. "What if I don't want to come with you? What if this world is where I belong?"

"Emma, I know it's hard but I'm sure you'll find your way," Mary Margaret said encouragingly. "There's so much beauty out there."

"There's beauty here too," Emma answered, thinking of Regina. She fumbled with her hands. "I just don't know if I'm ready for this."

"So you're not going to help us?" David asked.

"I'll help you but I need you to promise me you won't push me. I want to do this in my own time, in my own space. Is that too much to ask?"

"No, it's not," Mary Margaret decided. She looked at her husband, who seemed to struggle with the knowledge their daughter didn't want to go back to world where she'd been born. "I know that it would be difficult to lose you again, Emma, but if we can create some sort of portal that stays open then maybe we can still see each other. I want nothing more than for you to come with us but if you don't want to then I don't want to be the person responsible for your unhappiness."

"Thank you," Emma said quietly. She started for the stairs but turned around before going up. "I'll see you in the morning."

Mary Margaret and David watched their daughter leave before turning to look at each other. Mary Margaret's eyes swam with tears and David was quick to wrap his arms around his wife and pull her close. He kissed the top of her head a she quietly sobbed against his shoulder. "I don't think I could cope with losing her again, David."

"We won't," David said softly, his gaze lingering on the stairs up which Emma had disappeared. "We won't lose her again, Snow. I promise you we won't."

~()~

The next morning Emma accompanied her parents and Henry to Granny's diner. When they walked through the door they found Ruby behind the bar, serving coffee to Leroy, who preferred to go by Grumpy now, and the other dwarves. They all looked up when Emma and the others walked in and smiled. The dwarves pulled a few chairs up near the booth in the far back of the restaurant and Ruby brought them all coffee before joining them.

"Are there any diamonds in Storybrooke?" David wanted to know, looking at the dwarves.

"Any place has diamonds," Sneezy answered. "You just have to know where to look."

"And do you?" Emma asked. "Know where to look, I mean?"

"We've got a pretty good idea," answered Sleepy. "You know the old mine at the outskirts of Storybrooke? The one that collapsed and trapped Henry and Archie?" Emma would never be able to forget. That day she truly believed she was never going to see her son again. "We think there's a good chance there's diamonds down there. Why else would Regina have been so eager to keep it hidden?"

"We need you to start digging," Mary Margaret said and leaned in. "We need you to find the diamonds so we can change them into Fairy dust. That way Blue will get her magic back and we can start finding a way back to the Enchanted Forest."

"What about Gold?" Doc wanted to know. "We won't be able to keep this from him. Sooner or later he's going to find out."

"I'll deal with Gold, you find the diamonds," Emma answered. She glanced at her mother. "It's time to take you home."

The door to the diner opened again and Regina walked in. Almost immediately the conversation around the table silenced. Emma felt her throat become dry and she stared down at a coffee stain on the table surface when she noticed Mary Margaret looking at her. Regina froze in her step when she discovered the group of people sitting in the back of the diner and arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow. Her gaze lingered on Emma a little too long before she haughtily walked over to the bar. Ruby got up and rushed over to serve her.

"Madame Mayor," she greeted her with a tentative smile. "What can I get you this morning?"

"Coffee," Regina stated. "Please."

"What is she doing here?" Grumpy hissed.

"She does live here, you know," Emma reminded him and got up out of her seat. She walked across the diner until she reached Regina and noticed how the dark haired woman's features immediately softened, as if she suddenly relaxed. When Regina looked at her she felt her stomach do an unexpected double flip and her cheeks flushed red.

"Can we talk?" Emma said and glanced back over her shoulder when she felt various sets of eyes burn into her back. "Alone?"

"Of course, Miss Swan." Regina maintained her composure perfectly and turned on her heel. Emma followed her to the door and held it for her before stepping outside too. Once the door had closed and they were certain no one could hear or see them, Emma stepped closer to Regina.

"What's going on?" Regina asked. "You couldn't be any more obvious if you tried."

"They're looking for a way out of Storybrooke and back to the Enchanted Forest," Emma whispered. "They think Gold has a way but they can't figure out what it is so they're going to try and bring magic back themselves."

"Fairy dust," Regina concluded and when Emma blinked in surprised, she shrugged. "Well, you do have seven dwarves sitting around that table. Everyone knows dwarves dig for diamonds."

"They want me to come with them," Emma blurted out. "To the Enchanted Forest, I mean."

Regina seemed taken aback. "And?" she queried. "Will you?"

"I don't know," Emma said softly. "It's not a place that I know anything about. In fact, I know nothing about it and I don't know if I am ready to leave behind everything I've ever known." Blue eyes found brown. "Will you be going?"

"Somehow I doubt they'll consider bringing the Evil Queen back to the one realm where she'll have her magic," Regina said. "So, no. I don't think I'll be going. The curse has been broken but mine has only just begun. I get to stay behind in Storybrooke, alone, thinking about all the things that could have been. That will be my punishment and frankly, I don't know which one is worse. Staying here alone or going back."

"We could leave," Emma tried again. "Together."

Regina swallowed hard, suddenly confronted by what Gold had said the previous day. She knew she could never leave here and even considering that option was enough to endanger both Emma and Henry. It wasn't something she wanted. Slowly she shook her head. "No, Emma," she whispered. "I can't leave."

"Why?" Emma breathed. "Why don't you wanna leave?"

"I do." Regina sighed. "We can talk about this later." She took a step closer to Emma. "Meet me at the line tonight, just like we said." She leaned in and her lips brushed against Emma's. She could taste her own tears in the back of her throat and her heart ached in her chest. Her hand found Emma's and she took it into her own. The touch was soft and gentle. "There is something I need to do first. Something that may just change everything."

"Okay," Emma said and tried to smile. "I'll see you tonight."

Regina's hand slipped out of Emma's and she turned around to walk away. With every step she knew Emma was watching her and walking away from something, someone, had never hurt this much. The tears burnt behind her eyes but she managed to fight them off long enough so Emma didn't see. Once she was out of sight she let them run free. As she walked her eyes were drawn to the Storybrooke clock tower. It was half past eight in the morning. She had only till midnight and then everything would change. She wasn't ready and she didn't want it to happen but there was nothing else she could do. The Evil Queen had fallen.

* * *

**This is all I could manage and the whole update took me 2 days to write. Let me know what you think.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

It was as if the knowledge they had possibly found a way out of Storybrooke changed everything. People's faces lit up and everywhere she went, Emma noticed a newfound devotion and happiness. People carried on with their normal lives with grace and dignity. Shop signs were put out and people were talking to each other with optimism and pride. It made her feel happy to see they had found back some of their hope but at the same time it only increased her own fears and worries about the Enchanted Forest. Was she really ready to live in a fantasy world? She didn't even know if she could leave that place if she decided to follow her parents. What if she didn't like it or didn't fit in? How was she ever going to cope with ogres, dragons and unicorns?

After the meeting at the dinner, the dwarves and David had set off to try and work out where in the mines they could find the diamonds. They all took their pick axes and shuffles and disappeared in David's truck. Mary Margaret went out with Ruby, leaving Emma alone. Henry was in school and when she walked past the playground she noticed him sitting outside. He waved when he saw her but just as he was about to run over and say 'hi', the bell rang and he changed course and disappeared into the school building instead.

She walked around Storybrooke aimlessly for a little while, almost hoping that the solitude would give her some kind of answer. Somehow her journey brought her to Gold's pawnshop and she hovered outside the door for a little while before entering. The little bell chimed over her head and her eyes quickly adapted to the dimly lit room. She closed the door behind her and looked up when she heard a female voice ask, "Can I help you?"

The girl standing near the counter was probably no older than Emma herself, had light brown hair and soft green eyes. She spoke with an Australian accent and was dressed in a brown skirt and simple white blouse. She smiled as she took in the sight of Emma, recognition spreading across her face. "I've heard about you," she said before Emma had a chance to answer the previous question. "You're the Saviour, the one who broke the Curse."

"Yes," Emma said tentatively and her eyes narrowed. "I'm Emma Swan. I don't think we've met."

"I'm Belle," the girl answered and extended her hand. Emma shook it. "I've heard a lot about you, Miss Swan."

"Have you now?" Emma said slowly. Her eyes darted around the shop. The person she was looking for appeared nowhere to be seen. "I'm looking for Gold. Is he here?"

"He should be back shortly," Belle answered. "Can I help you with anything?"

Emma looked at the girl more closely. She couldn't remember seeing her around Storybrooke during the Curse or shortly afterwards. "How did you get here?" she wanted to know. "I mean, I don't think I've seen you around before. How did you get to Storybrooke?"

"I've been here all along," Belle replied and darkness filled her eyes as the memories came flooding back. "But thanks to the Evil Queen, not exactly the same way everybody else was."

"Regina?" Emma breathed. "What's Regina got to do with this?"

"She locked Belle up in Storybrooke's mental hospital for the whole of those twenty-eight years," said a familiar voice behind her and Emma spun around to find Gold standing near the door. "Regina believed that by letting me think Bella was dead, she could control me. And she was right. Up to a point. But when the Curse was broken, Belle regained her memories and Regina's plan failed."

Emma furrowed her brow. "Why would Regina want to keep Belle from you?"

"Now, Miss Swan, why do you think?"

Emma looked from Belle to Gold and back. The pieces fell into place almost immediately. "She is your true love." Her hand shot up to the chain around her neck and she fingered the ring. A strange sensation settled in her stomach. "So that's why Regina wanted to keep you two apart. She thought that if you believed Belle was dead, you'd do whatever she wanted." Her gaze fixed on Gold's face. "It isn't exactly something you wouldn't have done yourself if it was the other way around though, right?"

"You're really taken in by her, aren't you, dearie?" Gold said. "You of all people should know better than to fall into the trap of the Evil Queen."

"There isn't much left of the Evil Queen if she doesn't have her magic," Emma pointed out. "Regina's changed."

"Are you sure about that?" Gold mocked and walked past her to join Belle. "Nobody ever really changes, Miss Swan. We are what we are."

"That may be true for you but not for Regina," Emma said sharply. "We all know what you are, Rumpelstiltskin and we all know that you definitely can't change." She pursed her lips. "Still a coward and still obsessed by power."

"Let's not get that into that, shall we?" Gold shrugged. "Now that you're here, you are still Sheriff, are you not?" His gaze dropped to the badge clipped to Emma's jeans. She hadn't done much policing since the end of the Curse. "Someone broke into my shop last night." Piercing eyes found Emma's. "They took some things that are rather special to me."

"Really?" Emma arched an eyebrow in surprise. "Well, if you want to come down to the station and file a report, then feel free. I'll need detailed descriptions of all the items that were taken and when you saw them last." She folded her arms across her chest. "If you want me to investigate the matter, that is."

Gold was about to answer but just as he was about to speak, he changed his mind. As she moved the chain that had been tucked behind Emma's shirt showed itself. Gold's eyes fixed on the ring that dangled around her neck and Emma could tell that it got his attention. He stepped away from Belle and took a couple of steps towards Emma. "Where did you get that?" he wanted to know. "That necklace. How did it come to be in your possession?"

"Oh, this old thing?" Emma said as she showed it to him. Gold's sudden interest in the chain and the pendant had her worried and she knew she couldn't tell him what it was. He probably already knew and she wasn't going to tell him, even if he did. "I bought it at some market somewhere in New York a few years back. Only cost me a couple of bucks. Nothing special but it looks nice, don't you think?"

"Yes, very nice," Gold mused and his eyes snapped up. "If I were you, I'd take very good care of it, Miss Swan. Beautiful objects like that one are rare."

"I will," Emma said and let the chain slide behind her shirt. A warm feeling rushed through her. "I will."

"Is there anything I can help you with?" Gold asked but Emma shook her head.

"No, I think I'm good. You know where to find me if you want to file that report about the break-in." She looked at Belle, who had watched the conversation unfold in confusion. "Nice to meet you, Belle."

She turned around and elft the shop. As soon as the door closed she dug her cell phone out of her pocket and rang Regina. Her heart leapt up when she heard the other woman answer. "Miss Swan."

"Did you really lock Belle up in a mental hospital?" Emma breathed.

"What can I say, the girl was a danger."

"To you!" Emma hissed and ran her fingers through her hair. "She wasn't a danger to anyone else."

"How do you know about her anyway?" Regina wanted to know. "Belle was one of Storybrooke's best kept secrets."

"You don't know?" Emma replied, realising that Regina had no idea that Belle had left the mental hospital. "I just met her in Gold's shop. When the Curse broke, she remembered who she was and somehow she got out."

"Belle and Gold are together?"

"Yeah, their happily ever after and all that crap." Emma looked down the road. Regina's house was only a couple of blocks from here. She'd managed to find some builders who were willing to fix what the angry mob had destroyed days earlier but it would take some time. They'd started on the bedroom and the house was just about habitable so Regina had moved back in. Emma suspected she could no longer cope with the small room at the inn. She sighed and started walking. Her heart pounded in her throat. "He's up to something. I don't know what it is, but it won't be anything good."

Regina snorted. "I can handle Gold."

"He's got magic, you don't!"

"I've got you."

Emma froze in her tracks and it was as if all the air was knocked out of her lungs. "What?"

The sound of Regina's soft laugher was enough to send Emma's heart racing. "I said, I've got _you_, Emma. I'm not afraid of Gold."

"He'll be out for revenge because of what you did to Belle," Emma pointed out. "One way or another, he's going to try and get even."

"Let him try," Regina answered defiantly. "He will fail."

"Can we talk about this face to face?" Emma asked. "I'm on my way over."

Regina didn't get a chance to answer because Emma ended the call. She stood in what was left of her hallway. The builders had managed to restore a large part of the wooden floor. The sounds of hammers and drills were driving her insane but it was better than the tiny cramped room at the inn. This was her home and although it had once been built to reflect status and mask who she really was, it also felt like a safe heaven. She slipped her phone back into her pocket, turned around and walked into what had once been her office.

The revelation that Rumpelstiltskin had been reunited with Belle changed the game completely. Suddenly she understood exactly why Gold had made this deal with her. It wasn't just about the magic. This was personal. Retribution for what she had done to him. She'd led him to believe that his true love was dead. She ran her hands through her hair and paced around the room impatiently. Fear settled in her chest as the minutes began to pass. Every so often she glanced at her watch. There was a reason she had wanted Emma to meet her at midnight and no earlier but now it was unavoidable.

About ten minutes later she recognised the sound of footsteps and turned around to find Emma walking in to her office. The blonde's cheeks had flushed a dark shade of pink and she smiled when she saw Regina. Regina couldn't resist a smile herself and gladly let her arms slip around Emma's waist. She gently pulled her closer and kissed her softly; revelling in the feelings it gave her.

"I had to see you," Emma whispered when they parted and she rested her forehead against Regina's. "Something's happening."

"I know," Regina said softly and let her fingers ghost across Emma's cheek. The words hurt her as they rolled off the tip of her tongue. She could feel the venom creep into her veins, slowly poisoning her. "Things are changing."

"Please say you'll leave with me," Emma begged quietly. She felt the tears well up in her eyes. "If you leave Storybrooke, Gold will never be able to hurt you. The others will find a way to the Enchanted Forest but we can start over, somewhere far away from here." Blue eyes found brown. "You and me, we have a chance."

"Tonight," Regina whispered back. "We'll leave tonight. Meet me at the line and bring Henry. We'll be long gone by the time dawn breaks. No one will even know we're missing."

Emma looked up, blue eyes wide with surprise. Regina was willing to make the sacrifice. "Are you sure?"

The dark haired woman nodded. "Yes," she sighed. "I'm sure." Her dark eyes reflected hope. "I'm not the Evil Queen anymore, Emma. That life lies behind me. The magic that lingers here is not only a temptation, it is another curse. The knowledge that I may lose everything if Gold gets his way… I don't want to think about that."

"You do understand that you will lose your memory, don't you?"

"I'll just be Regina." She swallowed. "And that's all I want to be."

"Okay," Emma said and kissed Regina's forehead. Their hands found each other and she smiled. "We'll leave tonight."

"Are you sure you don't want to return to the Fairytale Land with your parents?" Regina wanted to know. "You know they're never going to forgive you if you leave."

"I know," Emma admitted and she felt a pang of guilt. "I just don't think I'm cut out to fight ogres for the rest of my life but I don't want them to give up on their dream because of me. They want to go home but I know they'll stay if I don't leave with them. This way I am making the decision for them so we can all move on."

"Maybe it's for the best," Regina sighed. "Maybe neither of us really belongs there."

Emma's phone vibrated and her hand shot down to her pocket to answer. When she pulled it out and checked the caller ID she saw Mary Margaret's name flash across the screen. She briefly showed it to Regina before answering. "Hey," she said. "What's up?"

"Where are you?" Mary Margaret wanted to know. "I need to talk to you. I'm at Granny's"

"Okay, I can be there in ten minutes," Emma answered and hung up. She looked back at Regina. "Something's going on. I have to go see what's up."

"Sure," Regina said and cocked her head before she met Emma's eyes. "I'll see you tonight?"

"Yes," Emma smiled and leaned in to steal a kiss. Regina eagerly responded. "Tonight."

Regina watched the blonde Sherriff walk out of her office and felt her heart ache in her chest. Once Emma had disappeared from her sight she sank down in one of the chairs and cradled her head in her hands. The tears came without warning and with them came the anger and the sudden hatred. This was all because of Gold. He was manipulating the whole situation for his own gain so he could get back at her. This was no longer about what she wanted; this was about what _he _wanted. She'd become a pawn in his game and she couldn't finish playing until she reached the end.

~()~

Emma found Mary Margaret in the diner. When she walked through the door she noticed her mother wasn't alone. Ruby shared the booth with her and both women looked up when Emma walked in. She slipped into the empty seat, folded her hands on the table and frowned. "What's going on?"

"Belle," Mary Margaret said softly. "She was just here."

"You mean Gold's girlfriend, or whatever she is?" Emma asked. "Why is it so odd for her to be here? She is from your land, is she not? Why wouldn't she be here?"

"We thought she was dead," Ruby whispered. "Everyone did. So how did she suddenly get into Storybrooke?"

"Belle's been here all along," Emma reluctantly admitted and stared down at the table surface. She knew that telling Ruby and Mary Margaret about what Regina had done would only reinforce the way they thought about her and she didn't want that. The mere thought of the dark haired mayor and their promise to leave together in the middle of the night made her heart beat faster. "Nobody knew it but she was here."

Mary Margaret seemed puzzled. "Here? Then where the hell was she? I don't remember ever seeing her around town!"

"She was locked up in the mental hospital," Emma said slowly. "When the Curse was cast, she was brought here and locked away."

"Then who…" Mary Margaret began but the answer came to her before she'd finished the question. "Regina."

"Yes," Emma answered. "But it's not what you think. Yes, Regina locked Belle up in the mental hospital for all these years but she did it to she could keep control over Gold. If he, or Rumpelstiltskin or whoever or whatever he is, believed Belle was dead, Regina knew he'd be less of a threat. You see, to him Belle is his true love. Not having her would have made him feel miserable. Regina played on that because it was how she could keep him in line. When the Curse broke, Belle was freed from the hospital and regained her memory. Now Gold knows what Regina did and he's out to get revenge."

"Good," Ruby said sharply resulting in Emma shooting her a dark glance. "Regina deserves everything he does to her. I'd say those two deserve each other."

"You do realise that if Gold gets to Regina, there will be absolutely nobody in his way to do whatever he wants to whomever he wants?" Emma pointed out. "Gold's the only one who can do magic around here but he knows that if Regina somehow finds magic, they'd almost be equally matched. He needs her to be weak to control not only her but the rest of Storybrooke as well."

"You think he'd come with us to the Enchanted Forest?" Mary Margaret questioned.

"You're not planning on inviting him, are you?" Emma arched an eyebrow. "Almost all of this happened because of him." Her eyes found Ruby's. "Not just Regina. She may have cast the Curse but she didn't create it, he did. If you blame her, you should blame him also. Bringing him back to a world full of magic is only going to create more trouble."

"I think that if Gold finds out we've got a way to get back to our land, he'll come with us regardless of what we do," Mary Margaret said and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Gold's not going to lose that opportunity if it came up." There was a pregnant pause and she looked at her daughter. "Have you thought about what you want to do? What if we find a way back to the Enchanted Forest?"

"I don't know," Emma replied and averted her gaze. She couldn't look at her mother knowing she would be leaving her tonight. "I keep thinking about it and every time I believe I've made up my mind, I change it again. I don't know if I'm cut out for fairies and unicorns or ogres but my life here hasn't got much to offer either. If I were to stay, where would I go?" Her gaze drifted off to the window. The thought of leaving Storybrooke with Regina lingered in her head. They'd make a fresh start, become different people.

Mary Margaret's phone chimed, announcing a text message. She read it and her eyes lit up. "They did it," she breathed as she put the device back down. "The dwarves have found a part of the mine that holds diamonds and they start digging tomorrow." She looked around the table. "Once they get the diamonds we can make fairy dust and we can go home."

Emma didn't answer. She was already going home.

* * *

**Sorry for the delay, folks. I've not been feeling too well and spent a lot of time at work as well. Not a great combination. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Let me know what you think! Your comments mean a lot!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Brace yourselves...**

* * *

**Chapter 14**

With every passing hour the pressure grew. She didn't eat her diner, choosing instead to just push it around her plate aimlessly and watched minutes fade slowly. Darkness fell around night, signalling that the day was well and truly behind them. Emma remained in the kitchen for the largest part of the night, pretending to be reading as Mary Margaret, David and Henry watched TV. The sounds coming from the living room were suddenly irritating her and she found herself feeling agitated. She still hadn't told Henry about her plans and the way it looked now she would just have to drag him out of bed, hoping he wouldn't kick up too much of a fuss.

Her cell phone lay on the side and it vibrated when a text message came through. She picked it up and smiled to herself when she saw Regina's name. She opened the message. _I can't wait any longer. Why can't we just leave now?_

Emma's fingers flew across the keys as she typed her reply. _I wish we could but I am going to have to wait till everyone's gone to bed. Looking forward to seeing you. _She hit the send button, put her phone in her pocket and put her book away. She slipped off the bar stool she'd been sitting in and walked into the living room. She leant against the doorframe and watched the scene in front of her. David and Mary Margaret sat on the two seater sofa together. Mary Margaret's head rested against her husband's chest and he played with her hair. Henry sat on the floor in front of them but he looked up when he heard Emma.

"You coming to join us?" he asked and Emma smiled.

"Not right now, kid," she said. She glanced at her watch. "Don't you think it's past your bedtime, by the way? Especially on a school night?"

Reluctantly her son got up. He said goodnight to his grandparents before hugging him mom. She hugged him back and kissed the top of his head before ushering him up the stairs. Once he was out of hearing range she walked into the room and sat down in the arm chair. The credits of the show her parents had been watching started rolling and she watched as her mother sat up.

"Can I ask you something?" Emma wanted to know and Mary Margaret's eyes immediately snapped in her daughter's direction. "About leaving Storybrooke?"

"Of course," Mary Margaret answered and glanced back at her husband. "Emma, we've been waiting for you to come and ask questions. We know there are so many things that you don't.."

"Understand," Emma finished her mother's sentence. "Yes, I know." She played with her fingers. "I don't really know how to say this or where to start but I don't think I'll be coming with you to the Enchanted Forest."

"Emma…"

"I need you to listen to me," she said softly. She couldn't bear looking into Mary Margaret's eyes, knowing they'd be swimming with tears. "The Enchanted Forest, that's your world. It's not mine; it's not where I belong. I may be where I was born but not where I grew up. My life, my world, is here. This is my home, this is what I know. I know pizzas, cell phones and junkies, not swords, princes and princesses."

"I understand," Mary Margaret said softly. The tears laced her voice and when Emma finally looked up she saw them stream down her mother's face. "We know this is a big step for you, Emma, and we know you're afraid. Your father and I have been looking forward to this moment for a long time, bringing you back to our kingdom, but we understand that this may not be what you want…"

"It isn't," Emma interjected when she began to realise that Mary Margaret didn't quite accept her rejection. "I belong here, in this world. The world of Storybrooke and Boston. This is the world that I know. I can't come with you. I can't do it to myself or to you and I need you to understand and accept that."

"Okay," David said slowly. "We understand, Emma. But we need you to understand that there is still time. It will take days, maybe even weeks, before the dwarves will have found enough diamonds to make fairy dust and even then it is not a guarantee that we can return. We know you've made up your mind but all we ask if that you will just think about it when the time really comes. Is that too much to ask?"

"No," Emma admitted, although she knew that the time would never come. She stood up and swallowed hard. "I think I'm going to bed now. I'll see you in the morning." The words rolled off her tongue easily but left a bitter aftertaste. She knew she'd never see her parents again but she couldn't let those feelings overwhelm her now. They would never let her leave if they found out what she was planning. It was cruel but it was the only way that she and Regina had a chance of starting a new life.

She left the living room and climbed the stairs to the first floor. She walked past Henry's bedroom and peered behind the door. He was in bed, already asleep. She sighed. She could only hope her son would be able to forgive her for what she was about to do. She closed the door and went to her own room. She stripped off before searching through her pile of clothing to find something more comfortable. She chose a black pair of skinny jeans, a cream coloured long sleeved shirt with buttons halfway down across her chest and a pair of sneakers. She pushed various items of clothing into a rug sack. She didn't own much, and she didn't need much either. She pushed the bag under her bed and then fell down on the mattress. All she could do now was wait.

~()~

It was twenty past eleven and the apartment was quiet. She'd heard David and Mary Margaret go to bed an hour ago and ever since then she lay awake listening to every tiny creek. Now Emma got out of bed, put her shoes on and reached for her rug sack. She swung it over her shoulder, padded across the room and opened the door. She left it ajar and walked across the landing to Henry's room. She pushed against the door and it opened with a soft creek. He didn't stir so she walked over to his bedside and gently shook his shoulders. Tired eyes opened and Henry looked up at his mother in confusion.

"W-what's going on?" he muttered, still drunk on sleep. "Mom?"

"Ssssh," Emma whispered. "Come on, kid, I need you to get dressed."

She picked a sweater and a pair of jeans from the clean pile of washing that lay on the chair in the other corner of the room and gave them to her son. He was too tired to really move so she helped him stick his arms in the sweater. He pulled it over his hand and stifled a yawn. Emma decided it wasn't worth it putting his jeans on. He'd be fine in his pyjamas. She picked him up and huffed under the weight of an eleven year old kid suddenly clinging on to her.

"Where're we going?" Henry muttered as Emma carried him down the stairs. She ignored the third step from the bottom, knowing that it creaked incredibly if any wait was to be put on it. She found Henry's sneakers by the door, put him down and urged him to put his shoes on his bare feet, having forgotten to give him socks. It was only now that her son was awake enough to realise that they were about to leave and he looked at his mother in shock.

"We're leaving?" he breathed, his eyes wide with fear and surprise.

"We'll talk about this when we get to the car," Emma hissed and glanced over her shoulder. She heard the springs in the bed squeak as either David or Mary Margaret rolled over. Her heart hammered in the back of her throat as she removed the bolt from the door and opened it, pushing her son outside. "We're not having this discussion now."

Henry turned around but before he could say anything Emma had followed him out and closed the door behind her. She heard the lock click and a sigh escaped her. Henry stared up at her in horror and looked about ready to scream when she shook her head. "I need you to listen to me, kid," she said as she kneeled down in front of him so she could look into his eyes. "I'm not doing this without thinking about Mary Margaret and David but things have changed and this is something I need to do. We're leaving."

"Leaving?" Henry asked. "Where are we going?"

"Boston," Emma answered as she gently pushed her son towards the staircase. He walked reluctantly. "We'll go and live in my apartment until I've found us a bigger place for the three of us."

"The three of us?" Henry asked and stopped dead in his tracks when he realised there was going to be somebody else. "Who else is coming?"

"Regina," Emma replied quickly. "She is leaving Storybrooke,"

"But she'll lose her memory! She won't be the Evil Queen anymore!"

Emma turned around to look at her son. "Isn't that what you always wanted? She just wants to be Regina."

Henry didn't answer and instead Emma took his arm to guide him down the stairs for the last few steps. They walked out of the building and climbed into her yellow bug. She chucked her bag into the backseat, turned the engine on and reversed the car. She glanced back one last time as Mary Margaret's apartment grew smaller in the distance. Sadness welled up in her and she wiped across her eyes in an attempt to stop the tears from falling.

"Why now?" Henry wanted to know. "Why are we leaving now?"

"The Curse is broken, Henry. They don't need us anymore. Everyone's talking about going back to that other land but that is not where you and I belong, kid. We're not from their world." Emma's gaze was peeled on the road ahead of them. It would be another fifteen minutes before they reached the line. Regina would be waiting for them there. "Before the Curse was broken, nobody could leave. They don't need their Saviour anymore. This is their life now and we need to move on to live our own."

"But my mom won't remember who she was in that land!" Henry pointed out.

"She will just be Regina Mills," Emma said quietly and she grabbed the steering wheel a little tighter. "She'll remember you and she'll remember me. That is all that matters."

The rest of the journey was quiet. Henry didn't ask questions but seemed to accept his mother's decision to leave Storybrooke. Perhaps he had always known this moment would come. Maybe he just knew that this was the right thing to do. Every so often Emma looked at him. He stared out of the window, at the woods surrounding them. His little face was pressed against the glass. He didn't smile but he didn't seem sad either.

They came around the bend and in the headlights of the car Emma saw the orange line drawn across the road. She stopped the car a few feet away from it and opened her door. There was no sign of Regina and she nervously looked around before checking her watch. Ten to midnight. They were ten minutes early. She sighed and leaned against the side of the car, her arms folded across her chest. It was a cool night and her warm breath created clouds in the air.

"Emma?"

Regina appeared from behind the trees, dressed in her trademark black coat. She smiled as she walked across the road towards the blonde Sheriff. When she reached her, Emma's arms slid around Regina's waist and she hugged her. She was very aware of Henry watching them from inside the car and chose not to kiss Regina. She knew he didn't mind about their relationship necessarily but there would be a time and a place for this once they got to Boston.

"For a second there I thought you weren't going to show," Emma whispered into Regina's ear.

"I know," Regina admitted and nervously smiled. "For a second I thought the same thing."

"You ready?" Emma arched an eyebrow. "We should go."

She turned around to open the car door.

"Emma, wait."

Emma turned around in surprise. Regina hadn't moved. Pain was etched across her face and a terrifying feeling welled up in Emma's stomach. She slowly walked back towards the dark haired woman and held still in front of her. Blue eyes met with brown and the hurt she saw broke her heart.

Emma frowned. "Regina, what's going on?"

"Emma, I'm sorry," Regina whispered and a lonely tear chased down her cheek. "Please…. Forgive me…"

"Forgive… what…"

Emma's voice was cut by the unexpected sensation of a hand crashing against her chest. Her body seized up and her eyes widened as she felt fingers move inside her. Fear spread through her as she stared up into Regina's eyes. With a shock she realised that Regina's fingers closed around her heart. The burning sensation spread through her and somewhere in the distance she could hear Henry screaming and his fists pounding against the car window. Blood rushed through her ears. There was no pain.

"Well, well, well, I didn't think you had it in you, dearie," said a voice from the darkness and Emma looked over Regina's shoulder to see Gold appear from the shadows. Above their heads the heavens opened and suddenly the rained poured down on them, the drops lacing with the tears that were now flooding down Regina's cheeks. Never before had she seemed so hurt, so broken.

"What are you doing here?" Regina hissed.

"Came to see the show, of course."

Emma gasped for air. "You? This is because of you?"

"Oh no, dearie. This is all thanks to Regina herself," Gold chuckled. "You didn't really think she'd changed, did you? A powerful Queen like Regina giving up all her magic and all her power? Not even someone as foolish as yourself would have believed that, Miss Swan."

"I have to do this," Regina said through gritted teeth. "I have no choice."

"Why?" Emma begged. The tears were constricting her voice. "Regina, WHY?!"

"Power, of course," Gold said deviously as he leant on his cane. He seemed untouched by the rain and the darkness in his eyes matched the darkness of the night. "Or did she not tell you that she came to me after the Curse ended, looking for a way to get her magic back?" Emma's face betrayed her sudden hurt. "I take it she didn't."

Emma's eyes snapped back at Regina. The older woman's grip on her heart was tightening. She couldn't believe that Regina had lied to her, betrayed her. She'd wanted to believe things were different now.

"You haven't changed, have you?"

"No. I haven't."

Regina's features hardened and for the first time since the end of the Curse Emma recognised the Evil Queen. It was as if the Regina she had gotten to know and learnt to love was gone. The woman who had replaced her was nothing like the woman she had kissed. This was a monster, a mere fragment of everything that Regina was. Staring into the darkness of her eyes Emma could see the hatred and the anger, just like she used to see it, but something had changed. She could still see the hurt and the pain. This time her own hurt fuelled her anger, not her hatred for someone else.

"I loved you!"

Regina's lips curled up into a snarl. "Love _is_ weakness."

"No," Emma breathed. She needed to hold on to the woman she knew. "This isn't you, Regina. This isn't what you are. You're doing this because of Gold. What did he tell you? That killing me would give you back your magic? That it would give you Henry?" She tried to catch her breath. "We had our plan, Regina. We were going to leave this place and grow old in some small town where nobody knows us. You can have your son, Regina, and you won't have to claim him through magic."

"This way I don't have to share him at all."

"You think Henry is going to love you if you kill me?" Emma asked. "He's going to hate you for the rest of his life!"

"When I have magic, I can make him love me."

"But it won't be real!" Emma felt the bile rise in the back of her throat as Regina's nails scraped across her heart. It was a sickening feeling. "He will never really love you."

They seemed to move simultaneously. Regina jerked her arm back in an attempt to remove Emma's heart but as she pulled, the only thing that happened was that Emma was pulled towards her. Her heart didn't leave her chest. At that same moment Emma reached for the chain around her neck. She grabbed a firm hold of it before yanking it off. It snapped and all that she was left with was the ring in the palm of her hand. Without thinking she grabbed Regina's other hand and as the dark haired woman give another firm tug at her heart, she slipped the ring on Regina's finger.

For a split second the world around them seemed to freeze but then something happened. Emma felt the energy well up inside of her and her eyes snapped up to the sky as a bright flash of light erupted from her body. It felt like an explosion and the strength of it was enormous. Regina was knocked backwards far enough that her hand was ripped from Emma's chest, without her heart. She remained standing, looking bewildered and stared at the blonde in shock before her gaze dropped to her other hand. The silver ring sparkled around her finger, its glow slowly fading now that the metal formed itself into the perfect shape.

"NO!" Gold cried out and he quickly walked over to Regina. He grabbed her arm and attempted to remove the ring from her finger but it wouldn't move.

"He knows what this is," Emma said as she watched Regina. The older woman seemed confused. Gold's fear was a clear indication that he knew exactly what had happened and she felt a hint of a smile tug at her cheeks. "And I know you do too. True love _is_ magic."

Regina looked up at Emma through her eyelashes, confusion now written across her face. "Who told you?"

"It doesn't matter. What does matter is that this ring only fits the finger of my true love." Emma took a step towards Regina. She hurt inside, near her heart, but it wasn't enough to stop her. In thedistance the sound of a car engine approached and she could see the beam of light through the trees. Her wet hair stuck to her forehead and she felt weak. "He wanted you to do this so he could own you again, Regina. This was never about you, this was about him. He's going to change you back to what you were."

Regina's dark eyes narrowed and she cocked her head. A hint of arrogance spread across her face. In that moment Emma witnessed the transformation from the woman she had gotten to know and the one she had met when she first arrived in Storybrooke. "And what makes you think I am not that still?"

"The fact you are here. The fact that you apologised for what you were about to do. You felt pain." Emma's voice was soft and filled with hope. "This was the deal you told me about, wasn't it? Sacrifice your true love so you get your magic back?" Regina didn't answer. "But something changed before you could do what he wanted you to do. Love got in the way."

"I don't feel love." Regina's voice was empty.

"Don't you?" Emma asked and unexpectedly pressed her hand against Regina's chest. The touch surprised both of them and she felt Regina's heart beating underneath her fingers. "I think you do."

Regina's eyes darkened even more. Gone was the warm shade of chestnut. The orbs staring back at Emma were as dark as the night itself and she realises that the Evil Queen still slumbered inside Regina. She had never really been gone, Regina had just learnt to suppress her long enough to make everyone believe she had changed.

"I had no choice. I had to do this." Regina's voice was hollow and empty. There was no emotion. No sadness, no anguish. The empty shell of a woman who had lost everything was all that remained. "Because _I love you."_

"Is that what you want me to believe?!" Emma suddenly shouted. The hurt and the anger finally struck. "You wanted me to believe you changed so you could get to Henry and get your magic back?" Regina's lips curled up into a hint of a devious smile. "This was all part of your sick, twisted little plan, wasn't it? Did you even care about me at all?"

"Emma... I…"

"I believed you," Emma whispered. "I believed you when you said you'd changed. Now what do you want me to believe, Regina? Do you want me to believe that you tried to kill me because Gold made you or because you are still too obsessed with power and greed to care about anything or anyone else? Henry's never going to love you if you hurt me and I…" Her voice broke. "I can't help but love you, no matter how stupid or foolish it may be. There was another reason I found my way to Storybrooke. I found my son and I broke the Curse but I found something else too. I found my true love…"

"I think it's time we put an end to this," Gold interjected and he stepped towards the two women. Regina's eyes snapped in his direction and she instinctively raised her hands, expecting magic to happen but nothing came. Fear and dread spread across her face as she realised her failure and she looked back at Emma. Gold came to a stop a few steps away from Emma and reached into his jacket. He slowly retrieved the dagger and watched how Regina's jaw dropped.

"Good," he mused. "You know what this is…"

"You wouldn't…" Regina hissed.

Emma's eyes were peeled on Gold. "What're you doing?"

"Finishing the job."

Gold pointed the dagger at Emma and quickly closed the distance between them. He was maybe a couple of inches away from her chest and Emma caught the reflection of the moonlight in the blade. Blue eyes widened as she braced herself for the pain that would follow. In the next second she felt a force against her body and she stumbled backwards before landing in the mud. The weight on top of her shifted and the pain in her head was blinding but she looked up long enough to recognise the shape of Regina's face.

"EMMA!"

The car that had been approaching stopped and the doors opened. David, Mary Margaret and Ruby came running out. Within seconds they were all drenched. David was armed with his sword and Mary Margaret carried her bow. They quickly ran towards Gold but he merely raised his arm and an invisible wall knocked them back.

Emma felt how the ground beneath her began to tremble and with a thundering sound the Earth was ripped open. The wind picked up and it pulled at her hair. It grew stronger, whipping around her face, and she desperately attempted to hold on to Regina's arm. She heard the other woman's voice but the wind was too strong for her to hear what it was she said. The next thing she saw was a bright flash of light and then the darkness swallowed them up.

* * *

**Are you still breathing...?  
**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

The world around her was eerily silent when she opened her eyes. The sky was dark and riddled with millions of stars. It was the first thing she noticed. The second thing she noticed was the dull pain in her head and the feeling of something warm trickling down the side of her face. Trembling fingers brushed against her cheek. The sticky substance clung to her digits and she brought her hand close to her eyes to try and see what it was. _Blood._ The realisation made her sit up with a jolt. Every bone in her body protested against the unexpected move and she groaned in pain. Dark purple bruises had already begun to spread from the base of her neck to the bottom of her spine.

Emma swallowed. She had a strange, bitter taste in her mouth and her lips felt dry. Slowly she looked around. The world had changed. She lay in the middle of a clearing surrounded by tall trees with thick branches and dark green leaves. She didn't hear a single sound, not even the whispering of the wind. She pushed herself up out of the dirt and brushed some of the mud of her clothes. She then moved her arms and legs, making sure that all her limbs still worked the way they were supposed to.

"What the hell…?" she whispered as she turned around, taking in her new surroundings. The woods surrounding Storybrooke had not been this thick. Anxiety settled in her chest when fragments of memories came back to her. Regina with her hand in her chest, attempting to rip out her heart. Mary Margaret and David running towards her and Gold with his cane…. And Henry… Henry had been in her car...

_Henry._

"Where are you?" Emma breathed. Despair washed over her and suddenly there were tears in her eyes. They slid down her cheeks without warning as the terrifying realisation that she was alone, separated from her son, kicked in. "HENRY?!" Her voice echoed through the night. There was no answer. There was only silence. "Henry, where are you?! HENRY?!"

She started walking in no particular direction. There was no path. The clearing was surrounded by bushes and trees but it was as if she had landed in the middle of nowhere. She rubbed the back of her head as she walked. She found a lump the size of a tennis ball and as she pressed against it she flinched in pain. She remembered the bright flash of light and the feeling of the ground ripping open beneath her feet.

Where was Regina? What was this place? Why was nobody else here with her. Regina had been right next to her after knocking her to the ground. The memor of the dark haired woman pained her. Regina had tried to kill her but then saved her. Everything had changed now. She reached for the chain around her neck only to be reminded that she had slipped the ring on Regina's finger. She was her true love.

"Regina?!"

The sound of Emma's voice travelled for miles before dying out without receiving an answer. Within the woods nothing moved. It was as if this place was permanently covered in silence. The only sound was the snapping of twigs underneath her shoes. Emma pushed her hands into the pocket of her jeans and a cold shiver crept down her spine. She only had the clothes she was wearing and a leather jacket. It was barely enough to protect her from the suddenly chilly night.

"Regina, please... C'mon, this isn't funny... Where are you?!"

She was scared. It wasn't an emotion she often experienced. Even in difficult situations she had taught herself to gain the upper hand but now she couldn't. Right now she felt like she was the only person in the whole wide world and there was nothing here that could protect her. Every step felt like she was walking away from something. She pushed through the overgrown bushes, prickly tree branches and past trees in an attempt to find herself a way out but after ten minutes Emma had to admit to herself that in the dark she was helpless.

"Regina, where are you?" she sighed as she looked around. "I just want to know you're ok."

Her gaze fell on a couple of trees surrounded by what seemed like brambles. It was hard to make out in the dark but the spot looked secluded enough to provide some kind of safety. She almost tripped over a branch as she made her way over and pulled her arm all the way into her sleeve to try and beat some of the thorns away. She glanced up to the clear sky over her head as she curled herself up underneath the brambles. For the first time in her life, Emma Swan felt truly alone.

~()~

"David?"

Mary Margaret's voice was soft as she crawled over to her husband's side. He lay only a couple of feet away from her, his face down into the leaves. He stirred as her hand made contact with the back of his head and he slowly pushed himself up. His eyes found those of his wife and they both immediately realised where they were.

"We're home," David said slowly and scanned their newfound surroundings with apprehension and curiosity. "We're back in the Enchanted Forest."

"I know," Mary Margaret nodded. She brushed the leaves of her clothes and watched David get up. To her relief she noticed he still clutched his sword. She'd found her bow right beside her when she woke up but the arrows appeared to be scattered around. "But how did we get here?"

Mary Margaret rubbed her eyes. "I…I'm not sure," she stammered. She looked up at David. "What do you remember?"

"Gold," he hissed. "I remember Gold."

"And Regina," Mary Margaret added. "She was there too."

"Gold must have had some way of sending us all back which means if we're here, he's here too," David said darkly. He started pacing. "And if Rumpelstiltskin is back in this realm, it's safe to assume that he brought Regina with him too." His dark eyes found those of his wife. She seemed worried but he also recognised the hope in her eyes. Going home was what they had always wanted. "Where's Emma?"

"Emma?" Mary Margaret called and turned around. Her call wasn't answered. "EMMA?!"

"Sssh," David reminded her. "We know where we are which means the nights are no longer safe."

"What?" Mary Margaret hissed. "_Ogres_?!"

"God knows what roams these lands after what Regina did to it," David said slowly. His eyes narrowed and he grabbed hold of his wife's arm. "I know this place." He took a couple of steps. "And I think you do too. Granny's cottage isn't far from here!"

"I remember," Mary Margaret said softly and her hand slipped into David's. "Do you think the others are here too?"

"I don't know," David admitted and started walking in a southern direction. One hand held his wife, the other ghosted across his trusted sword. It had served him well in many battles and he had no doubt that he would soon be relying on it again. "But we can't stay here. We're going to have to find some kind of shelter and get out of the woods. We can try and work out a plan by dawn."

Together they walked and after about fifteen minutes they reached the outskirts of the woods. In the distance they heard the sound of the river and Mary Margaret remembered finding this cottage one day and sneaking into the chicken coop to sleep and stay warm. It was where she had first met Red, or Ruby, and the start of their friendship. It seemed only like yesterday and the hint of a smile spread across her face when she spotted the cottage.

They approached the cottage with caution and when they spotted the light flickering behind one of the broken windows, David's sword shot up. He and Mary Margaret tiptoed to the door. It was locked. He peered through the window. There was a fire in the hearth but it was hard to make out who was inside. He could see the shadows but didn't recognise to whom they belonged. Just as he was about to step back from the window, the door opened and Ruby appeared.

"I knew it was you!" she exclaimed when she saw her friends. When David frowned she shrugged. "I could smell it."

"It's good to see you," Mary Margaret said as they stepped into the cottage. Ruby closed the door behind them. The room was rather dark, with only the fire giving off light. Granny sat in the only chair that hadn't been trashed to pieces and she looked up when David and Mary Margaret walked in. A crossbow lay in her lap and she was busy fixing it. A pitchfork rested against the wall nearest to her. She was about to open her mouth and speak when there was a quiet knock on the door. Granny jumped out of her chair, armed with her bow as she aimed it at the door, and signalled for Ruby to open it.

When she did Granny lowered her bow immediately. Henry stood outside, looking forlorn and scared. David scooped his grandson up in his arms and Henry clung on to him for dear life. Mary Margaret stroked the boy's back.

"Henry," she whispered. "Thank God you're OK."

"I can't find my mom," Henry sniffed and wiped his eyes. They were red and swollen. He had been crying for some time. He had small cuts and scratches across his face and his hands and his clothes were dirty.

"Which one?" Ruby asked softly and ruffled Henry's hair. His teary eyes met hers. "Emma or Regina?"

"Both," Henry answered. "I don't know where they are. I hoped they were with you."

Ruby looked at Mary Margaret. Between them they silently realised that none of them had either seen Emma or Regina, which meant that they were most likely still out there. They had no idea where they were or even how many of them had been brought back to the Enchanted Forest. Apart from Granny, they had all been at the same place when the Earth tore open but somehow it seemed more people ended up here.

"What do we know?" David asked.

"Gold sent us back here," Ruby began. "He must have had some kind of way…"

"But how?" Mary Margaret mused. "I mean, Regina said there was nothing to go back to. The lands have changed a little but not much. We knew exactly where we were. So why would she tell us there was nothing left when there was?"

David looked at his wife. "Maybe she didn't want us to know."

"Or maybe she didn't know."

Everyone looked at Ruby. She seemed somewhat surprised by her own suggestion that Regina hadn't known about this but she didn't take her words back.

"Okay, let's assume Regina didn't know," David continued. "Gold sent us back here when Regina tried to kill Emma but failed. We all saw what happened next." Silence lingered. Everyone had seen withj their own eyes that Regina had tried to save Emma's life when Gold tried to kill her. "We can't be sure about exactly what happened to them. Regina and Emma were together when the Earth opened but we don't know if they are together here. We weren't."

"Why would Gold do this? If he wanted to come back here wouldn't he have left Regina behind? If she really still is the Evil Queen, she is more of a danger to him than an ally. I know they've worked together in the past but it seems unlikely they worked this out together," Mary Margaret said. She looked at Henry. "After what she did to Emma…"

"She loves Emma, that's why she did it!" Henry interjected and everyone looked at him. He let go of David and landed on the floor. The tears had dried. "That's why she couldn't take out Emma's heart. It's why the ring fit around my mom's finger."

Mary Margaret chewed the inside of her cheek. "There is that."

"Come on, Snow, you really believe that Emma and Regina are destined to be together?!" David questioned.

"Even if we don't, they do," Mary Margaret answered quietly. "They were going to leave Storybrooke together, David. They were willing to leave everything behind." She arched an eyebrow. "Until Gold showed up."

"Rumpelstiltskin," Granny said darkly. "He seems to be connected to everything and everyone."

"Yes, he is." Mary Margaret started pacing the cottage, avoiding the floorboards that had broken. She glanced up to what was left of the roof. It would take a day or two to fix it if they decided to stay here. Her mind had already slipped back into surviving mode. She knew these woods like the back of her head. Or she used to know them. She wasn't sure about the dangers that lived here now. She knew this realm and the surrounding kingdoms, they all did. By foot it would take them days, if not weeks, to make their way through to look for Emma and Regina.

"We'll leave at first light," she decided. "If Emma and Regina are out there, someone must know about it. We don't know who else was sent back or where they are so while we look for them, we also keep an eye out for the rest of our friends. The more people we find the better." She took a sharp breath. "But we can't trust these woods like we used to. It's been twenty-eight years. Things have changed."

"So what do we do now?" Henry asked. There was a hint of excitement in his voice but Mary Margaret could tell that he was worried.

"Try and get some sleep. Tomorrow we start our journey."

Mary Margaret turned to the window and waited until Granny had helped Henry settle in the corner of the room underneath a couple of blankets she found in her old cupboard. It wasn't much but it was better than nothing. She remained where she was, staring out of the grease covered glass, and didn't look up when David and Ruby joined her side.

"So what do we do?" Ruby whispered.

"We need to find food and clothes. Maybe some horses too," Mary Margaret said. "There used to be a village a couple of miles from here, just down the river. It's a long shot but it's all we have. After that…" Her voice trailed off. "I have no idea."

~()~

Dawn broke with pink skies and the soft singing of birds. Emma's eyes fluttered open when she felt the warmth of the sun on her face and she blinked a couple of times. Slowly she sat up. Her muscles protested and she flinched as her back cracked. Lying on the hard floor without protection from the cold night had left her frozen and her fingers numb. She clenched her jaw as she scrambled out from underneath the branches and looked around. The woods looked completely different by day.

"Wow," Emma whispered to herself as she took in the height of the trees. She took a couple of tentative steps and rubbed the last bit of sleep from her eyes. "What is this place?"

Now that the sun was rising over the horizon it was a lot easier to find a less dense part of the woods. She passed the clearing where she had woken up in the middle of the night before wandering off and realised that in her attempt to find a way out she had actually walked deeper into the forest. She could just about see the outskirts and the world beyond it seemed to stretch out for miles. The land was covered in grass that felt soft and cushy underneath her boots and Emma pushed aside a tree branch, peering past the tree it was attached to when she finally reached the open fields. For as far as she could see there was grass….. and nothing else.

"Wonderful," she sighed. "The middle of freaking nowhere."

She started walking through the grass and was surprised when she noticed a bird whizzing over her head. It was light green, with yellow tail feathers. She'd never seen anything like it before. She squinted against the sunlight to try and watch it more closely and to her surprise it came round again and hovered in the air. Curious little black eyes observed Emma the same way she watched the bird.

"Oh God." Suddenly she realised where she was. It all made sense. Falling through the darkness and waking up in the forest, the bird in the strange and unusual colours. It all made sense. She ran her fingers through her hair as the despair washed over her. Her eyes rolled up to the sky. It was a perfect shade of blue, the type one only saw in fairy-tales. "The Enchanted Forest."

The bird disappeared and Emma's throat had become dry. She carried on walking without a sense of direction. It wasn't until she noticed something glistening in the distance that she felt a little spark of hope. Sunlight reflected of the water and Emma increased her pace, suddenly confronted by her thirst. Her heart pounded in her throat and her eyes continued to dart around, looking for signs of danger. She regretted not bringing her gun when she went to meet Regina. She had no way of protecting herself.

She dropped to her knees at the side of the river and scooped the cold, fresh water into her hands. She brought them to her lips and drank the cool liquid. Her eyes briefly fluttered shut and she continued the motion several times until her thirst was gone. She splashed some water in her face, ran damp fingers through her hair and then sat down on the banks of the river and looked around. It was hard to imagine anyone or anything lived here. The trees had leaves but bore no fruits or nuts. The bushes were bare and other than the grass she couldn't see anything that looked even remotely edible. Her stomach growled and she covered it with both her hands, suddenly frightened that the sound would awaken something in these lands.

"Right, you're going to have to get yourself out of this mess, Swan," she spoke to herself in a soft but stern voice. "You have to find Regina and Henry. You can't afford to give up now."

She leant back, supporting herself on her elbows and stared up at the sky. She was alone. She didn't know where the others were, or if they were even here. She didn't have anything but herself to rely on. She had no other choice but to try and find some way out of this but most of all, she would have to find a way to survive.

* * *

**Thoughts? Let me hear them!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's note: **Sorry for the delay, folks. I have been feeling rather unwell in the last week or so and have been very tired as well as still working loads. As I'm going on a much needed holiday by the end of this week, I did my best to produce an update for you. I'll try and keep the updates coming in the future but my health may prevent me from doing so sometimes. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 16**

Dawn brought golden rays of sunshine to the lands. The skies were an intense shade of blue, void of even the smallest puff of cloud. In the distance the birds sang a soft morning song and the village came to live. People's voices filled the street, followed by the distinct sounds of cattle and the fresh smells of bread and cheese. The echo of children's laughter and women chatting over their morning washing was carried on by the soft gust of wind.

All these sounds however died out long before they reached the tall walls of the Queen's castle. There only silence reigned. Soldiers stood guard, their uniforms perfectly cleaned and well maintained, their faces stoic and their eyes cold and empty. Only if one looked long enough would you be able to catch them blink. The morning sun reflected of their shining armour.

She sat up with a jolt as if she was rudely awakened from a dream. Never before had silence seemed so deafening. Dark eyes darted around the large room and fear instantly settled in her chest. It took her a couple of seconds to realise that she had been laying on the floor, on her back. Her body ached as the stone cold floor was unforgiving. Her heart pounded in her throat and Regina ran her fingers through her hair.

"What the hell happened?" she groaned and pushed herself up from the floor. Slowly she walked up to one of the windows and looked out through the glass. The land stretched out before her. It was a familiar sight. Too familiar. A sight that she had not seen for twenty eight years. Her hand shot up to her mouth, muffling the scream that was about to escape her, and she staggered backwards, almost tripping over her feet.

"This can't be…" The remainder of that sentence died on the tip of her tongue. Regina spun around. Blazing eyes scanned the room but she was alone. The bed was neatly made, the pillows arranged for a queen. She had slept in that same bed for many years. Anger replaced the initial fear and she clenched her fists. "Gold." Nothing happened and she clenched her jaw. The anger and loathing was now really evident in her face and she took a sharp breath. "Rumpelstiltskin!"

"You called?" said an amused, slightly high pitched voice behind her.

When she turned she found him leaning against the same window she'd just looked out from. Hatred seeped into her chest and she sprinted across the room towards him, her hand stretched out as if to grab him by his throat. Rumpelstiltskin's hand shot up and she was knocked back by an invisible burst of magic. It knocked the air out of her lungs and bile rose up in her throat. Blazing eyes snapped up at the little imp.

"What have you done?" Regina wanted to know. "How did I get here?!"

"I've taken you home of course, dearie," Rumpelstiltskin answered. The humour that had laced his voice slowly faded as he walked towards Regina. "You didn't stick to your end of the deal, Regina. No one breaks a deal with me."

"I did what you asked," Regina spat. The memory of what had happened in the woods just outside of Storybrooke came flooding back and it hurt inside. The pain was overwhelming. She could still see the hurt in Emma's eyes as she tried to take her heart. Her gaze was drawn to the silver ring around her finger. She knew what this meant. This was a bond that could not be broken. She looked up, tears glistening in her eyes. "I tried to kill Emma."

"Tried," Rumpelstiltskin pointed out with a jerk of his head. "But you failed."

"She used magic," Regina countered. "I had no chance against that."

"You saved her when I tried to give you what you always wanted."

"No, you tried to give yourself what you wanted. Emma was right. This had nothing to do with me, or her. This was about you!" Regina snapped. She folded her arms across her chest. "Take me back."

"No."

"Take me back!"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I can't."

Regina's eyes narrowed. "You got me here so surely you can take me back?"

Rumpelstiltskin shook his head, an amused smile spreading across his face. "I can't." He jumped up and down. "There is nothing to go back to. Storybrooke is gone."

"Gone?" Regina suddenly felt sick. She had never been so frightened in her life. "What do you mean, gone? What about Emma? And Henry? What about my son?"

"They're safe." Rumpelstiltskin turned to the window and looked out of the lands. "For now."

"For now?" Regina's brain was rapidly fitting the pieces together. She watched Rumpelstiltskin by the window and an unnerving feeling overwhelmed her. "You brought them here too, didn't you?" The imp didn't move and she walked towards him. "They're all are here, aren't they?" Still he did not react to her and she grabbed him by his shoulder. He giggled in amusement when he saw the fury in her eyes. "Where are they?!"

"Out there." Rumpelstiltskin pointed at the window. "They should all be waking up right about now."

"How did you do this?" Regina's eyes searched his face. "There was no way out of Storybrooke. The dwarves had only just started looking for diamonds to make fairy dust." She cocked her head when Rumpelstiltskin just pressed his fingertips together. "You knew all along, didn't you? When you created the Curse, you did something to it that would allow you to send us back even if I couldn't."

"Very good, dearie," Rumpelstiltskin snickered. He freed himself from Regina's grip and stepped away from her. Seeing the conflicted emotions in her eyes only made his smile grow bigger. "So now you know they're here. But you still have to find out where they are."

"I will," Regina sneered.

She spun around and started for the bedroom door. The echo of her footsteps bounced off the walls and she reached for the metal door handle but before she could grasp it, Rumpelstiltskin appeared in front of her and her arm fell flat alongside her body. He merely giggled.

"No, you won't."

He raised his hand and a light blue flash of magic lit up Regina's dark eyes. She stared at him blankly and he looked on as the familiarity slowly faded. The soft features of her face hardened and a sinister smile spread across her face. Regina blinked a couple of times and looked at the creature in front of her. A fine shaped eyebrow shot up in contempt.

"What do you want?"

"You don't know?" Rumpelstiltskin asked with a chuckle. He watched as Regina's dark eyes stared back at him. He recognised that look although he had not seen it for many years. Gone were the eyes of the young woman who had once begged for his help in using magic, long before that magic crept into her heart and poisoned it. Now it was back and he could see the darkness spread slowly through her veins. "You don't remember Storybrooke?"

"Storybrooke? Don't be ridiculous. I've never heard of such a place." Regina straightened her back. "Now, get out of my way. I need to speak with my men."

Rumpelstiltskin bowed and smiled as the door swung open. "Of course, my Queen."

~()~

Emma continued to follow the river as it cut through the lands. The water was crystal clear and cold. It had quenched her first and somehow it felt safe. Often villages and towns would be erected near sources of water because it would sustain the population. She hoped it was true for this world as well as the one she'd come from. She removed her jacket and tied it around her waist. The sun was warm and she felt it burn into the back of her neck but not hot enough to leave her skin red. The walk through the grass and sand was surprisingly easy and every so often her ears pricked up at the sound of birds singing in the trees.

She had no idea how long she'd been walking when she spotted the slightly shabby looking cottage on the opposite side of the river. Her heart leapt up in her chest. There was no bridge and the only option to get to the other side was to cross the river. It wasn't fast flowing and reached no higher than her knees. Emma took a deep breath and descended down the banks of the river into the cold water. She clenched her jaw and quickly crossed, She clambered out on the other side and pulled herself up on a tree root. She collapsed on the grass and caught a few deep breaths before getting back up. The sight of the cottage was enough to spur her on.

It was maybe another six hundred yards before she reached the cottage. She banged on the door and hoped that someone would answer. As she looked around she noticed footprimts in the sand leading up tp the door. They were not just her own. She banged om the door ahain and felt despair well up in her stomach. She was about to give up when she heard a shuffling noise inside.

"Who is it?" a somewhat raspy voice asked. Although the thick wooden door muffled it somehow, Emma recognised it anyway.

"Granny?!" she called. "It's me, Emma!"

The door swung open and revealed the old woman. Emma had never been so happy to see a familiar face in her life but before she could speak, more people appared in the doorway. Tears welled up in her eyes when she recognised Mary Margaret, David and Ruby. When Henry appeared from behind them she dropped to her knees and her son flung himself into her arms. Emma let her tears stream freely down her face as she hugged him.

"You found us," Mary Margaret whispered as she kissed her daughter's hair.

Emma looked up. "I did."

"We were so worried," Ruby said. "What happened?"

"I woke up in the woods," Emma said and rubbed the back of her head. There was still a lump there. "It was dark and I had no idea where I was so I just…" Her eyes found David's. "Found a safe place to sleep and waited for daylight so I could see where I was. I didn't realise at first but this is the Enchanted Forest, isn't it?"

Her father nodded. "It is. We've been trying to understand how we ended up here and…

"Gold," Emma cut him off. Venom laced her words. "It was Gold."

"We know that, Emma," Mary Margaret said. "But what we don't know if how he did it."

Emma looked around the room when she realised on face was still missing. The fear she had felt before crept back into her chest. "Regina," she breathed when she realised that the woman she loved wasn't part of the group. She turned around to look at her parents and tears welled up in her eyes. "Where's Regina?"

"You mean she's not with you?" Granny asked.

Emma shook her head. Panic began to control her mind. All she could think about was Regina. She'd been right beside her back in Storybrooke and all the way through her journey here she'd been trying to understand why she wasn't here now. "She wasn't there when I woke up."

"But she stood right next to you when…"

"I know that but she's not here now." Emma impatiently started pacing the room. She looked frightened and scared. "Gold must have done something to her. We need to find her."

"Emma, you don't know that. Maybe she ended up in a different place from us and she's trying to find us," Mary Margaret tried to reassure her.

Emma shook her head. "You guys all ended up together, right?" They nodded. "If Regina was anywhere near, she would have heard or seen me by now. She isn't here." She swallowed hard at the thought that maybe Regina wasn't in this kingdom at all. "Gold sent us here. He must have done something to her. He had a reason."

"Regina also has a reason to disappear," David pointed out. "She tried to kill you. And not for the first time, may I add!"

"She did what she had to do because of Gold." Emma folded her arms across her chest. "She didn't do this because she wanted to. She did it because she didn't have a choice."

"So what do you suggest we do?" Ruby asked.

"Where would Gold send Regina?" Emma mused.

Mary Margaret's eyes widened. "The castle." When everyone looked at her she explained. "What better place to send a Queen then her own castle?"

"Say you're right," Emma began, "and Gold sent her back to her castle. Where is it and how long would it take us to get there?" Her green eyes lingered on her parents and she saw the worried look they shared. "What?"

"Regina's castle is probably a three to four day ride from here," Mary Margaret explained. "If we plan to get there on foot it's going to take a lot longer. We're going to need some horses."

Emma took a deep breath. "We need to find her, Mary Margaret. Right now she's at the mercy of Gold and somehow I don't think that he's going to be kind to her." She reached for the chain around her neck and was reminded that it was no longer there. A pang of longing filled her chest. "I know you guys have your own thoughts about her but this is Regina we're talking about." She swallowed. "This is the woman I love." She looked at David. "You would have gone to the other side of the world for Mary Margaret."

Mary Margaret looked up at her husband and could see how understanding slowly dawned in his eyes. He nodded. "I understand," he admitted as he searched for his wife's hand. "Perhaps it is time we put our own thoughts and feelings aside and do what needs to be done."

"Okay," Emma said softly. She sighed. "We need to move on." She looked at her mother. "You know these woods. We can't all go together. There'll be to many of us, we'll just be keeping each other back." There was a hint of urgency in her voice. "We haven't got time to waste. We need to go find Regina and we need to go now."

"We'll go together," Mary Margaret decided. "There's a village not far from here. We should be able to get horses and some supplies." She looked at David. "You guys stay here and try and track down any of the others. I know the dwarves must have made it here too. Try and find as many people as you can. We're going to need all the help and support we can get."

The next fifteen minutes were spent making plans and saying goodbye. Emma and Mary Margaret eventually left the cottage after Mary Margaret double checked her bow and Emma got David's sword. The dagger she'd found in Storybrooke had been lost and David promised he'd be able to get another sword anyway. He wanted his daughter to hve the blade that had protected him all this time. Emma kissed Henry goodbye and promised him she'd find Regina. He watched her disappear into the sunshine as David's hand rested on his shoulder. Nobody was entirely sure they would ever see each other again.

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**Thoughts? Let me hear them!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's note:** Hi everyone. I am so sorry it took so long to update this story but my life has been a bit of a rollercoaster recently. I went on holiday but unfortunately I got sick and ended up in hospital. It wasn't the best time of my life and it's going to take some time to really get through what happened but at least I'm home. It took me a few days to get my head around writing but today felt like a good day and writing has helped me feel better as well. I hope you'll understand and at the same time enjoy this update.

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**Chapter 17**

The small village they came to had a market and an old man dressed in rags and a long grey beard sold him his last two horses and saddle bags. A young girl selling bread and vegetables recognised Mary Margaret immediately and was about to exclaim in excitement that Snow White had returned but Mary Margaret covered her lips with her finger. The girl's face fell but she handed over the cloak she was wearing when Mary Margaret asked for it and found another one for Emma. She watched the two women disappear on their horses, her hand covering her chest. Her heart was racing and she realised that she had just witnessed the beginning of something extraordinary.

Now that they wore their cloaks and had transportation, it was a lot easier to blend in. Mary Margaret led them out of the village and into the surrounding woods where they soon picked up a trail that seemed to have been well travelled by. Emma saw marks left behind by both carriages and horses. An unsettling feeling welled up and she dug her heels a little deeper into the flanks of her horse so she could catch up with Mary Margaret.

"What are we going to do?" she asked when she reached her mother. "How are we going to find Regina?"

Mary Margaret turned so she could look at her daughter and calmly brought her horse to a stop. The black mare came to a standstill and turned her beautiful head as if to see what the problem was. Mary Margaret could see the concern etched across Emma's face and felt a sharp pang of guilt. She had done nothing but condemn Emma for loving Regina and only now that she saw the hurt her daughter was feeling, did she finally let go of her own resentment.

"These woods lead to the next Kingdom," she explained and swallowed hard. A distant look filled her eyes. "It's a Kingdom I know well."

"Why?"

"Because it was once my Kingdom."

Emma gasped. "So that's where Regina is?"

"If what we're thinking is correct, then yes. Regina should be at her castle." Mary Margaret lowered the hood from her cloak and her eyes narrowed. Although she had not been in these woods for many years, her senses immediately kicked in. She had survived here for a long time, relying on nature's quiet whispers warning her about danger. The hairs in the back of her neck rose up and she knew somewhere someone was watching them.

"Emma, we need to move," she hissed as a hundred yards behind them the trees began to rustle. She reached for her bow and arrow and spurred her horse as well as her daughter's to hurry. Emma grabbed a tight hold of the reigns and pressed her body against that of the horse. Her mare was brown with some white marks across her body. She was younger than the horse Mary Margaret rode and seemed eager to move at a faster speed. Emma's heart hammered in her chest.

"What's going on?" Emma managed to ask as their horses shot through the woods.

"Someone knows we're here," Mary Margaret pointed out. "I don't know who but the last thing we need is for someone to get in the way of our plans."

They rode for a good twenty minutes as fast as they could before slowing down. They carried on their journey calmly and undisturbed for hours, talking only a handful of times. Emma found her thoughts wandering off to Regina more and more. She hoped she was safe somewhere, wherever that was. She missed her and she came to the startling conclusion that she was scared. Not for herself but for Regina. She had been sent back to a land that hated her as much as the residents of Storybrooke had done and, the last time Emma saw her, she had been unable to perform magic. In this world, on her own, Regina would be lost.

"You ok?" Mary Margaret asked when she noticed the look on Emma's face. They'd been riding in silence for over an hour since stopping briefly to have something to eat and provide their horses with fresh water from a small creek.

"Yeah." Emma looked a little bewildered. "Fine."

"You're thinking about Regina, aren't you?"

"I…"

Mary Margaret's eyes found those of her daughter. "Emma, I know I've said things in the past but right now I just want to find her too."

"I know." Emma took a deep breath. "What would Gold want with Regina? He sent us all back here but he kept Regina away from everyone else. Why would he do that?"

"Gold always has something up his sleeve. He knows things about this land that many others do not and, most of all, he has one thing none of us have got."

"Magic." Even just saying the word was enough to numb her heart. "You think that's why he took Regina?"

Mary Margaret chewed her lip. "I wish I knew."

They fell silent again, both lost in their thoughts. Emma followed her mother through the woods. They had abandoned the path they originally started to follow and now found a way through the bushes and trees. Emma knew it was to erase their tracks and hide them from whomever or whatever had seen them hours ago. Every so often she looked at Mary Margaret. She seemed relaxed, telling Emma that there wasn't any danger around them right now. She didn't share her mother's feelings. She was anxious and on edge. She'd heard stories about the creatures that lived within this forest; anything from the most beautiful unicorns to the most hideous ogres and trolls. As far as she was concerned, nowhere was safe.

Darkness began to set in by the time they reached a different part of the woods. The soft singing from the birds in the trees had died out some time ago and here it was eerily silent. It was darker here; the trees were taller and stood closer together. The soil underneath their feet was damp and there were only a few small bushes. Sunlight struggled to filter through the thick deck of leaves and Emma felt a chill down her spine. There was something haunting about this place. There were shadows everywhere.

"Where are we?" she tentatively asked when Mary Margaret slowed down.

"This is the Dead Man's Forest," Mary Margaret answered.

"I don't like the sound of that."

"You shouldn't. " Mary Margaret's face darkened as she slowed her horse and looked around. "This is a part of the forest where the King's soldiers used to bring their prisoners and tie them up high in the trees. Most of them never managed to free themselves and would die from starvation, their bones picked clean by predators. One could only hope you were dead before the animals came. The few that managed to sever their bonds would find themselves lost in the forest. Unless you know where you're going, this place will be the death of you."

Emma swallowed. "Please tell me you know where we're going."

"I do," Mary Margaret reassured her. "But believe it or not, this part of the forest is also the safest place. No one ever comes here."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Really? Gees, I have no idea why."

"We'll stay here for the night," Mary Margaret said and slipped out of the saddle. She landed gracefully and began unpacking some of the things strapped to her horse.

Emma followed a little more clumsily. She'd only ever ridden a horse a couple of times in her life before and she'd be lying if she said she was any good. The only thing she had going for herself was that she was a fast learner and didn't lack in self-confidence. She brushed some dirt and mud of her clothes and tied her horse to the nearest tree before unpacking some of the food and a deer skin full of fresh water.

"If I find some wood, do you think you can make a fire?" Mary Margaret asked when she reached her daughter.

"What, this place doesn't have matches?" Emma arched an eyebrow and her mother grinned. Emma smiled too. "I think I can manage."

Mary Margaret nodded and wandered off to the edges of the clearing to collect fire wood. Emma untied the blankets wrapped up together at the back of her saddle and began placing them on the ground. She nervously looked up to the sky. It was impossible to see if there were any clouds or whether it was going to be a clear but cold night. Darkness fell rapidly and the shadows that surrounded them began closing in. Soon the last little bit of daylight had vanished.

"I think this should do it," Mary Margaret said as she walked back into the clearing with her arms full of firewood. She dropped them in front of Emma, who desperately tried to remember the time when she was eight and one of the other children at her foster family showed her how to make a fire. She began putting the pieces of wood together, building a small bonfire and added some dried moss and leaves to it. They should catch fire easily.

It took a few attempts but eventually she created enough of a spark for the dried moss and leaves to catch fire, quickly followed by the smaller and thinner branches. The smoke began to billow up into the dark sky above them as the thicker pieces of wood slowly began to burn. The flames grew taller and brighter and Emma felt the welcome heat seep slowly into her bones. She hadn't realised how could she actually was and she pulled one of the blankets around her shoulders, huddling a little deeper into it just as Mary Margaret handed her a piece of bread and an apple. Mary Margaret sat down next to her daughter and for a little while they both stared into the dancing flames.

"How long did your survive out here?" Emma eventually asked. She tore her eyes away from the fire. "When you ran from Regina after she sent the Huntsman to cut out your heart."

"I… I don't know," Mary Margaret furrowed her brow. These woods had brought back the memories of her time living in hiding, trying to avoid Regina's men. It seemed like a lifetime ago and, in some ways, it was. Sitting here, in the woods she had once called home, she felt like a stranger, as if the Snow White who had returned here wasn't the same as the one who had left. "It must have been weeks, maybe months. It's hard to keep track of time sometimes."

Emma swallowed hard. "You think she's allright?"

"Regina?" Mary Margaret asked. She saw the hurt in Emma's eyes. The flames of the fire reflected in her green orbs, highlighting the pain. "She knows these lands, Emma. If she's here, she'll find a way to survive. The Regina I know can be quite resourceful."

"Why would Gold send all of us back here?" Emma mused. "What could he possibly have to gain from all of this? I mean, he's the only one who can do magic…"

"I don't know but whatever it is, it won't be good. He's not just Gold anymore. He's Rumpelstiltskin. Wherever he goes, trouble follows and whatever he does, he does to benefit himself." Mary Margaret pushed a strand of hair out of her face and cast Emma a sideways glance. "What did Regina tell you last night?"

Emma blinked. "What?"

"When she tried to take your heart. What did she tell you?"

"She said she had to do it because she loved me."

The memory of Regina's pained expression as her hand reached into her chest and grabbed hold of her heart welled back up into Emma's mind. The tears came unexpectedly as the very heart Regina had tried to take, ached in her chest. They had been on opposite sides for two long only to find that they had been fighting not just each other but also the feelings they both experienced. Those feelings had made them the people they had become, loathing each other for the emotions the other stirred in them. Even now Emma knew that somewhere she should despise Regina for what she had tried to do but she couldn't. There was simply too much love to allow hatred to take over.

She frowned as another piece of the memory became sharper. "It wasn't just Regina." Her eyes widened and she looked at Mary Margaret. "Gold tried to kill me too. With the dagger!"

"He tried to do what Regina couldn't do."

"Or wouldn't do."

"Emma…"

"Wait! What if this isn't about Regina at all?!" Emma stared back at the fire as her brain scrambled to fit the pieces together. "Gold said this was about Regina wanting her magic back and the deal was that she would have to kill me to do it." She played the events of the previous night over and over again in her head and slowly she began to see what she had missed. "What if this is about me?"

"You? Why would it be about you?"

"Think about it. Regina cast the Curse but Rumpelstiltskin made it. Who else, other than Regina, had the most to lose once the Curse was broken?" Emma felt excitement and adrenaline rush through her veins. "Who else would have lost everything because of the Saviour?"

"Gold."

"Exactly."

"But he's the one who made it possible for the Curse to be broken! He's the one who added the true love to the spell before he gave it to Regina. Rumpelstiltskin knew that one day you would come and break the spell!"

"But he couldn't have known how it would change everything. The Curse being broken didn't just ruin everything for Regina; it ruined everything for Gold too!" Emma stood up and started pacing the clearing. "Regina saved my life when Gold tried to kill me. She knows what he was trying to do, maybe she even knows why. Whatever this is, it isn't about Regina and her magic, but it's about me."

"Or it is about Regina and Gold needs you to complete it," Mary Margaret said slowly. Emma stopped pacing and turned to her mother in surprise. "Gold underestimated the power and meaning of true love. He wouldn't have expected the Saviour and the Evil Queen to be destined for each other. At some point he must have realised what was happening and known it would change everything. Whatever he is trying to do to Regina, it involves you being killed."

The back of Emma's throat went dry. "He's trying to bring her back."

"Who?"

"The Evil Queen. Rumpelstiltskin is trying to bring back the Evil Queen."

~()~

She paced the large room, picking at her fingernails. She felt the anxious eyes of the other people in the room resting on her. They knew her well enough to know that the silences were always followed by the most horrific of explosions. The type of explosions were someone would always end up getting hurt. The sound of her heels echoed of the stone walls as she reached the far side of the room. A quick glance out of the window told her darkness had fallen. The kingdom was covered in shadows. Instead of turning around, Regina rested her hands on the narrow window sill and stared out into the world for as long as she could manage before her gaze dropped to the item that was the cause of her anxiety. The silver ring around her finger. She didn't recognise it. In fact, she had never seen it before in her life and she certainly did not remember how it got to be on her finger but every time she tried to remove it, she failed. It was as if the metal shrunk, forbidding her to take it off. The silver ring was the cause of her anger.

On the opposite side of the room, the heavy wooden doors opened and two soldiers came marching in. Between them they held an elderly man, his face wrinkled by the hands of time. His clothes were torn. The soldiers held him up under his armpits and his feet dragged across the floor. The red tracks on his face betrayed where the tears had been but now only sheer terror reflected in his eyes.

"We've found the blacksmith, my Queen," spoke one of the soldiers and they dropped the old man in a heap of rags and limbs on the floor at her feet.

Regina slowly turned around, contempt written across her face. "Get up," she barked and watched on as the old man scrambled to his feet. He bowed, more out of fear than humbleness, before peering up at her through his eyelashes. Regina cocked her head. "They say you're the best in your trait."

"I am merely a blacksmith, my Queen," the man spoke softly. "I only do what my father and his father did before me."

"They say you make the rings exchanged at weddings across these lands and know all the jewellery that is sold here, even if it's not your own," Regina continued, ignoring the man's quiet reply. She extended her hand and noticed how the man's eyes widened in curiosity when he noticed the ring on her hand. "I need you to tell me who made this."

When the old man reached out a dirt covered hand Regina pulled back at first but when the blacksmith looked up at her, she could tell there was something that he had seen. Reluctantly she gave him her hand and he rang a blackened finger across the silver metal. When he attempted to move it up a little, the ring didn't budge. Almost instantly he furrowed his brow and attempted to twist the ring again. It tightened, causing Regina to wince and pull her hand back. The soldiers stepped forward immediately but she motioned them to stand down.

"You know what this is?" she asked.

The blacksmith nodded. "Yes, I do."

Regina impatiently arched an eyebrow. "Then tell me."

"It's magic."

"Can you destroy it?"

"It's magic, my Queen. _No one_ can destroy it."

"Nonsense," Regina barked and turned back to the window. "It is merely metal. Any metal can be destroyed."

The blacksmith slowly rose to his feet, removed the small hat he was wearing and clutched it in front of his chest. "No, my Queen. This ring cannot."

Regina slowly looked back over her shoulder to the old man standing behind her. "What are you saying?"

"That whoever gave you that ring intended for you never to remove it."

Curiosity got the better of her. "Tell me."

Everyone else present in the room seemed to be drawn in to the tale the blacksmith began to tell.

"Out there, in these lands and the lands beyond the borders of this Kingdom, there is a legend that for every princess born into this world, another heart is born to beat alongside her," the old man began. He spoke with a deep, warm voice and his words were laced with the hope and the belief that the legend he had grown up with was true. It was a story his father told him when he was just a little boy and it was the same story every child in these lands heard at some point in their lives. It was a story of hope and of true love.

"The story tells us that the heart of the princess in time will meet the heart of the one person destined to be her true love. When the princess is born, a ring is forged from the purest of silver and a drop of magic is added by a fairy. This magic allows the ring to only fit the hand of the person destined to be the princess' true love. Once it fits, it cannot be removed and the ring cannot be worn by any other. The ring only fits the person whose heart unites with the one already beating, so they become one."

Regina's gaze dropped to her hand. "Impossible."

The old blacksmith shook his head. "My Queen, do you remember how you came by this ring?"

"No," Regina said quietly and tears welled up in her eyes. A memory from a long time ago, a face blurred in the distance of time, found her again. Pain that she had learned to hide and had turned into anger burst through, suddenly filling her up. "I promised myself I would never love again."

"Be that as it may," the blacksmith pointed out. "But someone still loves you."

Regina's features hardened and she glanced at her soldiers. "Take him!" she barked. Her eyes were blazing. "Get him out! OUT!" The sound of shuffling footsteps began to unnerve her. "Everyone… OUT!

The soldiers grabbed the old blacksmith and carried him out of the room. The rest of the small crowd dispersed, disappearing down the caste's corridors in relief that, at least today, no one was hurt. Those who dared spoke in wonder about the ring on the Queen's hand. No one had ever seen it before and only a few who had known her long enough knew that the Queen had never been able to love anyone, not even her husband. The Evil Queen didn't have a heart.

Once everyone was gone and the silence was her only companion, Regina looked down at the silver band around her finger. Carefully she touched it and as she did, a bright flash of light blinded her. For a second the darkness was gone and all she saw were blonde curls and bright green eyes surrounded by shadows. It was gone before she could grasp the image and store it in her mind. She blinked and desperately tried twisting the ring in the hope the image would return but nothing came. As Regina looked back up, all she was the sky void of stars outside. All there was to see was darkness.

Unbeknownst to her, a set of eyes watched her every move from across the room. The slender creature lurked in the shadows, his eyes never drifting from the Queen. He saw what she saw, had heard what she heard and he knew that the plan he had so carefully created, had failed. Rumpelstiltskin slowly reached into his cloak and pulled out the dagger engraved with his name. the weak flame of a candle reflected in the blade as he ran his finger along the edge whilst keeping his eyes fixed on the Queen. Regina twisted the ring more desperately this time and he could see the cracks in her appearance. He had tried. He had done everything he could.

Rumpelstiltskin moved out of the shadows and towards Regina, the blade rasied above his head. He only had one choice.

* * *

**Let me hear your thoughts!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Regina turned as a reflection in the window caught her eye. Instinctively she raised both her arms to shield herself from the danger that came for her and her eyes widened as she recognised the creature now standing in front of her, a maniacal grin plastered across its face. Before she could move further, his fingers had closed around one of her wrists and pulled her hand towards him. She fought to free herself but his grip was too strong and Regina watched in horror as Rumpelstiltskin forced the blade of his dagger down onto her fingers. The sound of metal against metal echoed in her ears and white sparks lit up the dark air between them.

"What are you doing?!" Regina cried when the imp's grip loosened enough for her to free herself. She pulled her hand back and clutched it in front of her chest protectively. Her gaze dropped down long enough to notice the blade had struck the ring around her finger in an attempt to break it. It seemed that whatever Rumpelstiltskin had tried to do, his plan had failed. When she looked back up a pair of angry yellow eyes stared back at her.

"Tell me what you saw," he demanded, now wielding the blade in such a way he could easily pierce Regina's chest if he wanted to. He took a step closer towards her. The woman in front of him didn't resemble the Evil Queen any longer. He recognised the girl he had saved from her mother's claws only to transform her into the one thing she had hated the most. This was the Regina who had looked at him in adoration and admired his ability to perform her magic. Those were the times where her curiosity had gotten the better of her until eventually the hurt she felt inside over what her mother had done began to control her, changing her the same way he had once changed Cora. Like mother, like daughter.

"What have you done?" Regina wanted to know. "What have you done to me?!"

"I haven't done anything, dearie," Rumpelstiltskin proclaimed and gave a jerk with his head. If the failure of his magic to maintain itself surprised him, he did not show it. "It seems you have done this to yourself."

"You did this," Regina hissed. She raised her hand and showed him the ring. "You know what this is, don't you?"

"And so do you."

"The girl with the blonde hair… Is she the one who gave me this?"

Rumpelstiltskin arched an eyebrow in surprise. He had not expected this. "You do not remember her?"

"I've never seen her before in my life."

The Dark One took a step back from the Queen and took in her full appearance. The hardened look he had observed in Regina's eyes earlier had faded. Gone was the woman he had brought back from a time long forgotten. He had found something inside her, the darkness that had fed the hatred slumbering inside the Evil Queen, but it seemed that his spell to bring back her full power did not hold. He pressed his fingertips together as he continued to study Regina. The spell had erased her memory as he had hoped. She no longer knew who Emma Swan was but it seemed that somewhere deep down, she had not quite lost their connection. The ring was what bound them together, even now that her memories were gone, and it seemed that not even the darkest of magic could break it.

Something began to dawn on him. "True love can break any curse."

"Excuse me?" Regina asked. "Do you mind explaining to me what's going on here?"

The pieces began to fall together and Rumpelstiltskin merely nodded. "Of course," he answered eventually with the sweetest of smiles and stepped back closer to Regina. His hand shot out unexpectedly and she winced in pain as his fingers penetrated her chest. He clung on to the organ inside her, feeling the strong pulsations travel all the way up his arm. He cocked his head as the horror dawned in her eyes. He gave a firm pull.

"But it may hurt a little."

He held the pink organ up to his eyes and for a few seconds they both watched in silence as the heart continued to beat softly in his open palm.

"What have you done?"

Regina covered her chest with her hand, desperate to feel the familiar beating of her heart. There was nothing but emptiness. Where her heart had been now only a cold space remained. Charcoal eyes looked up at the creature holding her heart in his hand but before she could even try to take back her heart, Rumpelstiltskin vanished into a cloud of purple smoke. When Regina blinked she was alone and she had lost her heart.

Rumpelstiltskin reappeared far from the castle, near the outskirts of the village. Here it was quiet. Nobody ever came here. The small graveyard lay abandoned and forgotten, surrounded by a rust metal fence. Most of the headstones were overgrown. Flowers had been left to wither and die. Rumpelstiltskin pushed himself a way through the gate and walked until he reached a tomb towards the back of the graveyard. There he stopped and reached into his cloak, retrieving the pouch containing Regina's still beating heart. He knew that hearts were taken to control the person to whom they belonged but that was not his goal today. Without a heart a person could not feel, he thought as he raised his hands and the tomb slowly began to open. Without a heart a person could not love.

He descended down into the dark tunnel below the tomb and reached a small, oval shaped chamber. In the middle stood a table carved from the purest white marble. On top of it stood a single black wooden box. He carefully opened the lid and put the heart inside before sealing it with a spell that was far stronger than any lock and key. He turned his back on his prized possession and made his way back up the stone steps, leaving behind the stale stench of rotting leaves and soil. The tomb effortlessly slid back in place when he stepped out into the cool evening air. He didn't look back as the cloud of purple smoke swallowed him up.

~()~

In the Dead Man's Forest, Emma sat up with a jolt. The image of Regina was still sharp before her eyes and her hand shot down to her chest. She felt her hear thumping against her fingers and she turned to look beside her to find Mary Margaret asleep. Her eyes darted to the fire. The small orange flames barely illuminated their campsite. Emma took in a deep breath. She had seen Regina.

"Emma?" Mary Margaret asked softly. "You ok?"

"Regina," Emma breathed. "I saw her."

Mary Margaret sat up and frowned. "What do you mean, you saw her?"

"I saw her!" Emma said and ran her fingers through her hair. "In my dream. I saw her!"

Mary Margaret rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "Emma, your brain is trying to process what's happened. You're in a different land now and you're missing Regina. It's only natural for you to see her in your dreams."

"No, this was different. It was almost as if…. As if I was actually right there with her."

Mary Margaret studied her daughter's face. "Emma, what you're saying can't be true."

"It has to be."

The blonde scrambled to her feet and began packing away her blankets. Mary Margaret looked on in confusion as Emma stumbled around the campsite. It wasn't until Emma reached down to take her mother's blanket that Mary Margaret responded and grabbed a firm hold of it. Their eyes met and for a second they stared at each other.

"What are you doing?" Mary Margaret wanted to know.

"We need to get to Regina," Emma stressed. "Something's wrong, I know it." The hurt in her eyes was real and she shook her head. "I know you think I'm crazy but I know what I saw. Regina's in some kind of danger and we need to find her." She glanced up at the sky over their heads. It was still dark. Dawn was hours away. "We can't wait till daylight. If we leave now we'll get to the Kingdom half a day earlier."

"Emma, this is is insane!"

"Yeah?" Emma breathed. "You think this is insane? Try being separated from the person you love by some twisted little creature! That's insane." Green eyes blazed with anger and the tears welled up. "I need to find her and if you won't come with me right now, I'll go alone."

Mary Margaret leapt to her feet. "No. You don't know these woods. You'll never make it out alive."

"Emma…"

"If you can't do it for Regina, then do it for me."

Emma looked at her mother, tears now quietly trickling down her cheeks. She had never felt more helpless and lost in her life. She'd only seen Regina's face in a glimpse but it was enough to wake her from her dreams. She knew she was out there somewhere and she wasn't going to give up until she found her. It didn't matter if she wasn't going to sleep for the next two nights. Regina needed her help and she was going to do everything she could to save her.

"Ok." Mary Margaret nodded. "Okay, we'll go."

Emma heaved a sigh. "Thank you."

They packed up their blankets and bags and strapped everything to their saddles. The horses didn't seem to mind riding through the night. Emma made sure she stayed close to Mary Margaret who seemed to have no trouble navigating the dark woods in the night. It was the silence around them that unnerved her. She had never been to a place where the only thing she heard was the sound of her own pounding heart and the branches snapping underneath the horses' hoofs.

Dawn brought shades of pink and amber to the skies and they broke through the outskirts of Dead Man's Forest just in time to see it. From where they stood, on top of a hill, they had a glorious view of the lands that lay ahead of them. Emma let her eyes wander. The world in front of her stretched far and wide, with fields painted in beautiful green and hints of colourful flowers. A sparkling river cut itself a way across the fields. There wasn't a sign of a village or a dwelling and Emma turned to Mary Margaret, whose face fell the longer they looked.

"What's wrong?" Emma asked softly.

"There used to be a small town here," Mary Margaret said. "Not far from that river. You could hear the children's laughter from here. But…" Her voice cracked. "It's gone."

"Any idea who or what could have done that?" Emma asked. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to know the answer.

Mary Margaret shook her head. "I don't know. The village not far from Granny's cottage survived the Curse. For some reason they were spared but here…" Her eyes wandered across the Kingdom. "Somehow everything's gone."

"You think Regina did this?" Emma said softly. "The Curse did this?"

"I don't think so," Mary Margaret answered slowly and she guided her horse down the path that led down from the hill into the valley below. As they rode she pointed out small patches were flowers and grass did not grow. It was as if the ground had been poisoned and it was slowly spreading. "Something, or someone, else did this."

"There was no magic here after everyone was sent to Storybrooke," Emma mused. "Who could have done this?"

"Regina wasn't he only dark soul to live within these lands," Mary Margaret said slowly. "There were others. None as notorious as she but magic was everywhere. Who knows… there may have been someone else long after we left. Time started moving again here when you came to Storybrooke. Most likely it started moving again here too. Things changed. We just don't know exactly how."

Emma swallowed hard as the words sank in. To think someone else had performed magic here, with the intention of hurting those who had been left behind, brought a chill to her spine. She clung to the image of Regina she had seen in her dream. The more she thought about it, the more she began to see that Regina had looked different. Something about her had changed.

Emma glanced at Mary Margaret who was now riding her horse in the direction where the small town had once been. Even from their distance she could see that it had been burnt to the ground. The grass was burnt black and ashes and scattered wood littered what had once been people's homes. She averted her eyes, her memory forced back to the image of Regina. She'd seen the change in her, even in that small second. She didn't exactly know what it was but she knew that when they reached that castle they weren't going to find the woman they'd known in Storybrooke.

"They thought they were safe in their homes," Mary Margaret said softly as she looked around at the devastation. Not a single house remained. "But instead they found themselves forced through the gates of hell."

"Can you think of anyone who would be capable of something this barbaric?" Emma asked. "I know you said there are others who perform dark magic, but it takes a depraved soul to burn women and children in their beds." Her eyes found Mary Margaret and she realised with a shock that her mother could indeed think of someone. She felt her heart sink and Mary Margaret's face became a haunting mask as memories flooded back into her mind.

"There is someone."

"Who?"

"Her name is Cora."

Emma furrowed her brow. "Cora? Who's Cora?"

Mary Margaret's eyes found those of her daughter. "Regina's mother."

~()~

She hadn't slept. She'd stayed awake and watched how the sunlight chased away the shadows of the night. Stars evaporated as golden beams of sunlight fell into her bedroom. The sheets were untouched. Regina stared out of the window, down at the lands below. She felt like a prisoner between these walls. Her own castle didn't feel like the place where she belonged. Every so often her gaze would drop to the ring around her finger and she'd twist it in the hope to see the stranger's face again. _Who are you?_

"Getting sentimental?" asked a perky voice behind her and she spun around. Rumpelstiltskin leant against one o the bedposts. "The Evil Queen… pining over a stranger."

"Shut your mouth," Regina hissed. "You did this."

He cocked his head. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You'll figure it out."

She blankly stared at him. "What do you want?"

"Your help, of course," Rumpelstiltskin answered.

Regina arched an eyebrow. "The Dark One needs my help?" She scoffed. "Surely you can clean up your own mess?"

He chuckled. "Naturally, dearie," he answered. "But it's far more fun if you do it."

Regina narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

"Because you're the Evil Queen, of course."

"Of course." Regina paused, her eyes carefully taking in the imp's appearance. Past experiences had taught her to never trust a world he said. "Is that why you took my heart? So that I wouldn't refuse?"

"Consider it a deal," Rumpelstiltskin answered. "You do something for me, and I give you your heart back."

Regina crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I'm listening."

"Snow White is on her way."

"Impossible!"

Rumpelstiltskin waved his hand in the air and a silvery orb appeared. The grey clouds within the orb began to dissolve, showing a very clear image of a dark haired woman riding a horse through the Kingdom's lands. Regina's eyes widened. The woman's hair was shorter but she knew that face as well as she knew her own.

"How did she get here?" Regina hissed venomously.

"Long story," Rumpelstiltskin shrugged and tapped the orb. The image shifted, revealing a second woman. "Snow White isn't alone. She's got herself a companion." He looked up at Regina to see if she recognised the woman's face but the Queen's features remained stoic. Although she had caught a glimpse Emma the previous night, the image wasn't strong enough to trigger a memory. "Snow White is your problem, my Queen, but this one…" He pointed at Emma. "This one is my problem."

"If she's so much of a problem them why don't you take her out?" Regina wanted to know.

"Shall we say that there's a little bit of a problem," Rumpelstiltskin said. "But not for you."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Kill her."

"You want me to kill the blonde one?"

"Take care of her and I'll take care of Snow White."

Regina chewed the inside of her lip. "Why would I trust you after everything you've done?"

"Everything I've done?" Rumpelstiltskin looked at her in mocked hurt. "Look around, dearie. You wouldn't have everything you've got not if it hadn't been for me. I made you." He took a step closer to her and she sensed the underlying danger. "And I can destroy you. The choice is yours."

"What's this woman done to you?" Regina asked. "If I'm going to kill her, I at least want to know why."

"She destroyed something very precious," Rumpelstiltskin answered. "And unless she is stopped, she will keep destroying things." He paused. "Things that also matter to you." He started for the door, leaving the dark haired woman by the window. "I'll leave you to deal with her as you see fit. I'm sure you can be… creative…"

Regina opened the palm of her hand and a fireball appeared. It grew larger until it had reached the size of an orange and she turned it around between her fingers. Anger flickered in her eyes and she smirked. "I sure can."

* * *

**Let me hear your thoughts, folks!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's note: **Hey guys, unfortunately my health isn't great just yet and it's very up and down. Sort of like a day by day, step by step kind of thing. Enjoy the next update.

* * *

**Chapter 19**

They rode until noon before dismounting their horses and taking a much needed but short break. Emma and Mary Margaret left the horses to roam the fields and sought shelter from the blistering sun underneath a large old oak tree. Emma pulled her knees up to her chest and broke a piece of bread in two. She chewed on it and forced herself to swallow. It was starting to go stale but it was all they had. She washed the last few crumbs down with a gulp of fresh water and rested her head against the tree behind her.

She was about to speak when Mary Margaret, who was sitting beside her, moved unexpectedly and grabbed her bow and arrow. Before Emma could even blink she'd sent an arrow into the surrounding bushes and judging from the groan that followed, she had hit her target. They both leapt to their feet and Emma grabbed the sword David had given her. It felt unfamiliar in her hands, having only used a sword once before but she had killed a dragon with it. How hard could it be?

"Who's there?!" Mary Margaret called, her eyes fixed on the branches where they had heard the whimper of pain.

An arrow whizzed past their heads and hit the tree behind them. Emma stepped out of the way only just fast enough so it missed her shoulder and her head snapped around in shock. Mary Margaret looked to and she pulled the arrow from the tree and inspected it. She brought it up to her nose and carefully sniffed the end.

"Poison," she breathed. She turned the arrow around in her hand and recognised the small coloured feathers at the back. She let the soft material slide through her fingers. It wasn't the first time she had seen them and a familiar memory flooded back into her mind. She looked up, her eyes finding Emma. "These arrows belong to the Queen's soldiers."

"The Queen?" Emma whispered and in her chest her heart suddenly skipped a beat. "You mean Regina?"

Their gaze was drawn back to the bushes surrounding them. Branches snapped and leaves rustled. Several men appeared, armed with swords and bows and looking menacing. Emma counted as many as six poisonous arrows aimed at them. Suddenly the sword in her hand felt useless. She wouldn't be able to protect them if the poison from one of the arrows seeped into their blood. Instinctively she moved closer to Mary Margaret but the dark haired woman pushed her away so Emma was standing behind her. A mother's instinct was always to protect her child.

"Lower your weapons," one of the soldiers barked and he raised his arm. The soldiers armed with bows and arrows drew back, ready to fire. "By order of the Queen."

"The Queen does not rule within these lands," Mary Margaret countered and held her head up with pride. "This Kingdom belongs to King Leopold. We have not yet crossed the border."

"King Leopold has granted the Queen permission to search his land."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Somehow I doubt he's done so voluntarily."

But the situation slowly unfolded and she began to understand that if Regina had sent these men to capture them, she hadn't done so with peace in mind. Whatever had happened to Regina, it seemed that the return to the Fairytale Land had erased the woman she had gotten to know in Storybrooke. The Regina she knew and had come to love wouldn't have sent soldiers armed with poisonous arrows. She didn't want to let the thought take hold but the longer she looked at the soldiers, the more Emma began to believe that Regina was gone. The Evil Queen had returned.

"You are prisoners of the Queen. Resist your arrest and we will kill you," the soldier spoke. He cocked his head.

Mary Margaret slowly lowered her bow and Emma turned her head in surprise. She had not expected her mother to give in to the soldiers. Her heart pounded in her throat and when the soldiers came nearer, with the intention of putting them in cuffs, Emma responded. Her sword shot up and she slammed it down on the nearest soldier's shoulder. He cried out in pain as blood poured out of his neck. By the time he dropped down to his knees and hit the ground, he was already dead.

"Emma! NO!" Mary Margaret cried but Emma turned on the tip of her toes and hacked into one of the soldier's legs.

He stumbled forward, tripping over his own feet, before landing not far from his fallen comrade. The sword he had clutched slipped from his lifeless fingers and landed in the sand with a quiet thud. Blood started to seep into the ground around them. Roaring voices filled the air and Emma felt an arrow whizz past her head. When she turned she expected to see a soldier but it was Mary Margaret. The projectile hit another soldier in the chest. He coughed up blood as he fell.

The pain was sharp and unexpected. It burnt, as if someone had suddenly poured acid into her veins. The world seemed to move in slow motion as Emma looked down and found the arrow sticking into her side. Blood trickled down her stomach, warm and sticky. Almost immediately the palpitations began and her fingers started to tingle. Her green eyes widened in a mixture of shock and pain and she reached for the offensive weapon before pulling it from her body. It snapped in two, leaving a part behind, and she dropped to her knees as the pain overwhelmed her. The world around her slowly began to fade into a blur.

"Emma! EMMA!"

Mary Margaret's voice came from a distance and even when she turned her head, Emma couldn't see her. All she saw were dark figures moving around. Someone grabbed her shoulders and yanked her hair. Her arms and legs failed and the headache was instant. She had this strange metallic taste in her mouth and beads of sweat glistened on her forehead. The poison spread through her blood, creeping closer and closer to her heart.

The last thing she saw was the shape of a face close to her own with eyes so dark they looked like they belonged to death itself.

~()~

She opened her eyes. Slowly the light filtered through her eyelashes and the headache that followed was instant. The pain was so blinding that it made her stomach turn and her primal instincts kicked in as she rolled onto her side before emptying what was left in her stomach onto the floor. Her muscles ached as she moved and she groaned. The dull ache in her stomach told her that whatever she had just puked up hadn't been much and the heaving up off the bile would result into even more aching muscles later on.

Emma swallowed in an attempt to rid herself of the sour aftertaste in her mouth and attempted to sit up. She found it surprisingly easy and cradled her head in her hands. The world seemed to spin insanely out of control and the room was a blur. She lowered her head between her knees for a moment in an attempt to catch her breath only to realise that she couldn't pull her legs up as far as she had expected.

Through her fingers she tried to find the reason why and found that her ankle was chained to the wall. The metal chain was as thick as her wrist and the clasp around her foot was unlike any trap she had ever seen. She gave a firm tug at the contraption for as much as her body would let her. The chain rattled and another wave of nausea hit her. It wasn't enough to make her puke but it was enough to make her feel like hell.

Emma raked her brain as she attempted to fit the blurred memories together. The forest, Mary Margaret, the soldiers… Her gaze dropped to her waist. Dried blood coated her clothing and the stinging pain slowly filled in the blanks. One of the soldiers had shot a poisoned arrow at her and it had hit her in her side. Tentatively Emma peeled the slightly sticky fabric away from her skin and revealed a neatly bandaged wound beneath it. A little bit of blood had seeped through the cotton that covered her injury but it looked clean.

Emma's eyes darted around the room. The walls were made from solid stone and so was the floor. The ground was covered in hay, as if someone had made some haphazard attempt to soften it a little. The space was small, barely big enough for two people. There was a small window, too high for her to see out of, and it was covered with bars. The only thing she could see was the sky and it was still bright blue and not a cloud in sight. Daytime. How long had she been here? And where was Mary Margaret?

Her gaze eventually fixed on the heavy wooden door. The only way in and out of this room. Emma pushed herself up as far as she could, and as far as her chained leg would let her. She managed to scramble to her feet and carefully took a few steps. She felt wobbly and uncertain and the movement made her head spin even more. She fought against the nausea as her stomach turned and her fingers brushed against the cold metal of the door handle. She turned the knob, knowing deep down that it wasn't going to open, and sighed when the door remained tightly locked.

"Mary Margaret?" she called. Her voice bounced off the stone walls but it were those same walls that allowed the sound to travel, carrying on far across the castle walls.

"REGINA?!" She screamed her lover's name with all the willpower she could find and as her voice died down her throat felt sore and hoarse and the tears burnt behind her eyes. She slammed her fist against the wood, ignoring the burning pain in her hand, over and over again. "REGINA?! REGINA!"

Eventually her voice died out as the little bit of energy was drained from her. Feeling desperate and forlon, Emma slumped down to the floor and rested her head against the cold wall. Her heart thumped in her chest, the steady beating echoing in her ears as the silence overwhelmed her. The tears that had burnt behind her eyes slowly found their paths down her cheeks, dripping into her lap.

After what had felt like hours, the scraping sound of a key in the lock made Emma look up. By now she was thirsty and her stomach had grumbled and growled numerous times. Green eyes expectantly lingered on the door and to her joy it slowly opened, revealing a woman. She had a plump frame and her face was covered in wrinkles. Piercing blue eyes however immediately hinted at a woman who perhaps looked fragile and old, but was anything but helpless. She shuffled into the room, her long skirts grazing the floor. In her hands she carried a tray with a large plate and a jug of water.

"Who are you?" Emma wanted to know when the woman bent down to put the tray on the floor in front of her. The blonde moved fast, grasping the older woman's arm and forcing her to look her in the eye. "Did she make you do this?" She pointed at the plate of food. Vegetables and some kind of meat she didn't recognise. It looked well cooked and appetizing and that was exactly what worried her. "The Queen, is this her doing?"

With a firm pull the other woman freed herself from Emma's grip. "Eat," she commanded. "Her Majesty wishes to see you but not unless you've eaten."

Emma suspiciously eyed up the food in front of her. "Why only until I've eaten?"

The woman impatiently folded her arms across her chest and rolled her eyes. "Listen, young lady, if the Queen decided you had to die, you would have been dead already. She doesn't worry herself with something as simple as poisoning a prisoner. Now eat and make sure you to be ready in fifteen minutes."

"Be ready?" Emma replied and pulled at the chain. "This is as ready as I'm going to get."

The old woman backed out of the room. "Just eat."

She closed the door behind her and Emma could hear the key turn. For a second she contemplated banging on the door again but she knew it was useless. Instead she looked down at the food in front of her and picked up the fork and knife provided. Tentatively she cut the vegetables into smaller pieces and tasted them. Although they looked like ordinary carrots, they tasted completely different and she was surprised at the unexpectedly sweet taste.

She polished off the food in a matter of minutes and carefully sipped from the fresh, cold water in the jug. She didn't know if or when she was going to get anymore so she removed it from the tray and put it in the corner of her cell. She then made sure to wipe her mouth and waited.

Not too long after she had finished she heard the faint sounds of footsteps down the hall and her ears pricked up when she recognised the sound of the key in the lock. The door opened again and the old woman who had brought her the food reappeared. This time she was not alone. A soldier appeared behind her with a rusty looking key. Without speaking he walked across the cell, unlocked the chain around Emma's ankle and left. The old woman stood in the doorway and looked on as Emma massaged her foot before slowly getting up.

"Follow me," she said sharply.

Emma stepped out of her small cell and into a dark corridor. It was only lit by torches and had no windows. Soldiers appeared from the shadows and walked behind them. Emma knew it was to ensure she wasn't going to try and escape and although her gaze lingered longingly on their swords, she knew better than to try. She walked behind the old woman and when they reached another door she was told take a step back. Emma did what she was told and waited for the old woman to pick the right key and unlock the next door. When it opened it led them into another corridor but this one had windows.

As they walked Emma quickly glanced out of one of the windows. The sun had started to set, painting the skies in fiery shades of red and warm tints of amber. The lands were green and stretched out for as far as she could see. Her heart pounded louder with every step, knowing it would bring her to Regina. She was now convinced that whatever had happened to her wasn't good. She'd heard the stories everyone told about the Evil Queen.

After what felt like an endless walk through dark, torch lit corridors and several more doors, the old woman stepped back when she opened the last door. Her piercing blue eyes rested on Emma. "The Queen will see you now."

Emma looked from the old woman to the open door and back before stepping into the room. The first thing she noticed was the immensely high ceiling and how it had somewhat of an oval shape to it. The edges of the ceiling changed into the black walls, cut from the same stone as her cell. She glanced down at her feet. The floor was covered in shiny black marble and she could clearly see her own reflection. As she walked the sound of her boots bounced off the walls. Torches and candles lit the room and large windows overlooked the surrounding lands in all directions.

For a few moments Emma believed the room was empty apart from her but then she noticed the dark clad figure standing by the furthest window. Their frame was illuminated only by the dim glow of candles but Emma recognised Regina immediately. Her heart exploded and she instantly forgot about how she had ended up here. She took a few quick steps in Regina's direction and the sound of her approach made the dark haired woman turn around slowly. Dark eyes immediately found green.

"Regina…"

The Queen arched an eyebrow. "You know my name?"

Emma's eyes welled up. "Of course I know your name," she whispered as she walked closer. "I know who you are."

She stopped when she noticed how different Regina looked. Her hair was longer, wavier too. Dark make-up surrounded her eyes and her lips had been painted in a poisonous shade of red. Emma's eyes immediately searched Regina's face of that familiar hint of defiance she had first observed when she arrived into Storybrooke. Looking back, that defiance and the anger had been the Evil Queen slumbering underneath the mask of Regina Mills. Those were the traits that, no matter how hard she tried, Regina could never really hide.

She didn't see them but she also didn't see the memories. Regina's eyes remained blank.

Emma's heart sank before it shattered to pieces in her chest. "You don't know who I am, do you?"

"No, I don't," Regina answered and she curiously searched Emma's face. "Why are you here?"

Emma swallowed hard. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

The dark haired woman's lips twitched and curled up into somewhat of a smile. "Try me."

"Ever heard of Rumpelstiltskin?"

Regina's eyebrows shot up. "Rumpelstiltskin?"

"So you know him," Emma concluded. "You know who he is. Or, better said, what he is?"

"Everyone knows the Dark One," Regina said.

"He's the reason I'm here."

"He told me you'd say that."

Emma heaved a sigh and was about to speak again when she caught a glimpse of the silver ring around Regina's finger. Her heart skipped a beat and her eyes widened. Before the Queen had a chance to move she stepped closer to her, grabbed her hand and pulled it towards her. Regina yelped in protest but Emma ignored her, turning Regina's hand over so she could look at the ring more closely. When she touched it both women were immediately knocked back by a burst of energy.

"What was that?" Regina breathed as she clutched her chest. The air had been knocked out of her lungs and she nervously peered at Emma through her eyelashes. Brown eyes softened unexpectedly as she took in the sight of the blonde woman whose clothes were covered in blood and who seemed as surprised as she was. The initial rejection slowly slipped away from Regina. "You can do _magic_?"

"I…" Emma stammered. "I… I don't know…"

Regina walked over to her, her arm stretched out. "Do it again."

Emma blinked. "What?"

"I said, do it again!"

Regina grabbed Emma's hand and pulled her closer.

"I don't know if I can!"

Emma's fingers brushed against the silver ring and the bright flash returned. This time however it didn't knock them back. For a split second Emma saw herself and Regina back at the fire escape the night they had saved Ruby during wolf's time. She remembered it well. It had been a night full of contradictions and emotions. A night that had taken one thing but at the same time had brought something else. Their second kiss…

As she blinked the image disappeared and Emma's eyes snapped up to find Regina's. Their hands were still linked, Emma's fingers covering the ring. Regina's dark eyes searched Emma's face.

"Who are you?" she whispered.

"I think you know who I am."

"I… no…. this… this can't be."

Emma stepped closer. "You know who I am." She reached out a hand and covered Regina's chest. "Right…here.,."

Her voice broke when she didn't feel the familiar heartbeat under her fingers. Fear filled her eyes as she moved her hand a little in an attempt to find it but there was nothing. Slowly she looked up to Regina and watched the darkness slowly seep into the Queen's eyes. The Regina she loved was gone.

* * *

**Let me hear your thoughts!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

The door behind them flew open and the thundering sounds of footsteps made Emma's head snap up. Her eyes darted to the door and her mouth dropped in surprise when she saw Mary Margaret, David and Ruby in the doorway. David and Ruby were armed with spears and Mary Margaret clutched her trusted bow. One arrow whizzed across the room and hit the wall behind Regina, causing the Queen to gasp in horror. Before Emma could blink Regina had pushed the blonde away and she strode forward towards the trio, her hand extended and the magical force hit David in his chest.

He staggered backwards, not expecting the sheer force of Regina's magic, but managed to stay on his feet. He ducked, avoiding the second impact and Ruby was quick to respond by diving towards Regina and knocking her down to the ground. She landed on top of the Queen and a flash of yellow illuminated her eyes as she stared down at the woman underneath her. Her red cloak billowed around her and settled down slowly now that they no longer moved.

"Wait!" Emma shouted and ran across the room towards her parents and Ruby. "Don't hurt her!"

"Emma…" Mary Margaret's voice was soft.

"No!" Emma interjected and threw herself onto the floor beside Ruby and Regina. She pulled the younger brunette off the Queen and used her own body as a shield to protect the older woman. Regina didn't move. "You don't understand!"

"There's no time to explain, we can talk about this once we get back to Granny," Ruby said urgently and pulled at Emma's arm. The blonde didn't move and fought to keep her place by Regina. "Emma, come on!"

"I can't leave," Emma whispered and tears welled up in her eyes. She looked from Ruby to her parents. "I can't leave her. He took her heart."

Mary Margaret blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Rumpelstiltskin," Emma breathed. "He took Regina's heart." She swallowed hard. "And he took her memories too. She doesn't remember any of us." She severed the eye contact and looked down at Regina who now attempted to get to her feet. Emma reluctantly let her but made sure that as she stood up she remained in between Regina and her parents. "She doesn't remember Storybrooke or the life we had there."

"What's the hell is going on here?" Regina sneered and she pushed past Emma. She took two more steps before she froze, her gaze resting on Mary Margaret. Anger flickered in her eyes. "Snow." The features of her face hardened.

"Yes, it's me," Mary Margaret answered.

Emma looked from Regina to Mary Margaret but before she could speak Regina's clear voice filled the room, bouncing off the walls. The echo carried on throughout the castle's walls.

"GUARDS!"

In the distance the sound of footsteps approached and David looked over his shoulder. When he glanced back at Regina he noticed how she raised her hands again and he pulled Mary Margaret out of the way just in time before the curse hit her. The wall behind them began to crumble and a cloud of dust filled the air. Emma shielded her eyes with her hand.

"Regina, no!" she shouted. "Don't do this!"

She felt a hand close around her forearm and she was being dragged across the room towards the pale glow of daylight. She walked without really knowing where she was going as behind her she heard the impact of another curse. This time there were flames and the black smoke became thicker, filling the corridor. She coughed as her lungs fought for oxygen and she felt herself become dizzy. The grip on her arm never loosened, not even when her own steps became insecure and unsteady. Somehow whoever got hold of her knew where they were going and Emma eventually felt the wind against her face and she eagerly took in a couple of deep breaths.

The light was bright and she rubbed her eyes a few times. She was outside. The skies were blie and the soft wind tickled her neck, pulling softly at her hair. She could smell horses and grass and in the distance there was the sound of voices. It was like music to her ears.

"Are you ok?"

She recognised Mary Margaret's voice and eagerly took the cup her mother was offering her. The water was cold and Emma drank with large gulps until the cup was empty. She brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes and managed to focus her vision long enough that she could see Mary Margaret's face. A black smudge covered her mother's face from her forehead down to her chin and her eyes were red and swollen but otherwise she seemed unhurt.

"Emma?" Mary Margaret asked, now placing both her hands against her daughter's shoulders. "Emma, are you ok?"

"Yes," Emma groaned, surprised by the soreness of her throat. She coughed and her lungs protested. "I'm fine." Her eyes darted around. "Where are we?"

"Safe."

"Where's Regina?"

Mary Margaret didn't answer and instead turned away from her daughter. Emma forced herself to stand up straight and took a few tentative steps in her mother's direction. "_Where_ is Regina?"

"She's back at the castle." David looked at Emma and shook his head. "We can't risk bringing her here."

"Here?" Emma asked. "Where's here? And how did you even find me?!" She looked back at Mary Margaret. "The soldiers… they came for us. How did you escape?!"

Mary Margaret sighed. "When the arrow hit you I knew it was over. There was only one thing I could do and that was try to get you back but I couldn't do that if I was captured." She heaved a sigh and a lonely tear glistened in the corner of her eye. "I got away."

"So you left me." Emma sounded bitter and Mary Margaret's eyes reflected sadness before she broke the eye contact and stared down at the floor. "You left me?!"

"Emma, please…"

"What, did you just assume the soldiers were going to take me to Regina? How did you know they weren't going to kill me?!" Emma lifted up her shirt and showed the bandage that covered the wound on her side. The blood had spread through the fabric and it was only now that she became aware of the throbbing pain. "How did you know the poison wasn't going to kill me before they got me to Regina?"

"I didn't."

Emma shook her head. "So, what, you just hoped I didn't die before you got your chance to rescue me?!"

"That's enough, Emma," David intervened. He still clutched his spear and part of his short had been scorched away. The skin underneath looked red and raw. There were blisters on his hands and dried blood on his lip. "We did what we had to do to bring you back safely."

Emma ran her fingers through her tangled hair. "Bring me back?"

"Regina's soldiers took you prisoner, Emma. It was on her orders that you were locked up!"

"You saw her!" Emma reminded him. "She wasn't about to hurt me!"

"Emma…"

She shook her head. "No!" She spoke so sharply that everyone looked up. "You don't understand what happened. You have no idea what's going on here." Her heart thumped against her ribcage and she felt the adrenaline rush through her veins. All she wanted was to get back to Regina and help her. She looked around. The castle lay behind them, on the hill. They were near the outskirts of the woods, in a makeshift camp that had clearly been set up in a hurry. From where she stood Emma could see the tower where she had been kept prisoner.

"Rumpelstiltskin took Regina's heart," she said quietly. Suddenly she felt fragile. She had never felt this helpless before in her life. "He erased her memory, gave her back her magic and then took her heart." She turned to look at Mary Margaret. "I felt it." She covered her own heart with her hand. "It wasn't there."

"Rumpelstiltskin took Regina's heart?" Mary Margaret asked softly. "Why would he do that?"

"I don't know."

"Removing hearts is normally Regina's trait mark," David answered calmly. "A trick she learnt from both Rumpelstiltskin and Cora. Maybe he was giving her a taste of her own medicine."

"You forget what removing a person's heart can do," Mary Margaret reminded her husband and David looked at his wife, realising what she was about to say. "By removing someone's heart, you can control them completely."

Emma's eyes widened. "So that's what Regina meant."

"What?"

"Back in Storybrooke Regina told me that when she got the Curse from Rumpelstiltskin, she had to give him something in return. Everything comes at a price." Emma looked around the group. "She told me that she made a sacrifice to get what she wanted and what she gave Rumpelstiltskin in return was her life. She said he owned her."

"But while in Storybrooke he didn't get a chance to claim his part of the deal," Mary Margaret continued and she looked at her daughter. She recognised the devotion in her eyes. She had seen it many times in her own. She knew Emma would do anything to get back to Regina and she suddenly realised that there was nothing they could do to stop her.

"If he wanted Regina's heart then why didn't he take it when the Curse was broken and the magic returned?" Ruby wanted to know.

"Because it wasn't Regina's heart he wanted. He wanted the heart of the Evil Queen."

Emma turned back to look at the castle. "The Regina in Storybrooke wasn't the same as the Regina who lived here. Gold recognised that." The long pause was a silent accusation at the others that they hadn't realised how different Regina had been. "He didn't want the heart of the woman she became, he wanted the heart of the woman she was before."

"Why the change?" Ruby questioned. "We all knew what Regina was like before the Curse broke. It wasn't like she was the sweetest person in town. Why wasn't her heart enough? What changed?"

"I did." Emma looked back at Ruby. "I changed it."

Mary Margaret covered her mouth with her hand. "Regina fell in love with you."

Emma sadly nodded. "And that love changed her heart." Her hand slipped up to the chain around her neck. The only one that remained was the one with the swan pendant. "Gold recognised the ring for what it was. He must have known somehow that it was meant for Regina. He hoped that if she'd kill me, she would return to the same dark person she was before. He'd seen it happen once, he assumed it would happen again."

"Daniel," Mary Margaret pointed out. "Regina lost Daniel because Cora killed him. That loss darkened her heart. Gold hoped that your death would do the same."

"I don't think Regina had a choice," Emma whispered. "She was trapped in the promise she made him all those years ago and he wasn't going to let her go until he got what he wanted. That night when I slipped the ring on her finger he knew he'd lost. I don't think he intended for us to end up here but it was the only way out after that. It was only here that he could separate me from Regina and return her to who she used to be."

"So she doesn't remember you," David said carefully. "She doesn't remember any of us?"

"Not quite," Emma said and stared back at the castle. "When Regina and I were together and I touched the ring, we both saw a flash from our lives back in Storybrooke." Tears glistened in her eyes. "We saw us… who we used to be… I don't think she understands what's happening to her but she knows the ring can do something…"

"It shows her true love."

Mary Margaret's hand rested on Emma's shoulder.

"So if we find Regina's heart and put it back in her chest, she'll remember again?" Ruby asked. There was determination in her voice, as if any doubts she'd had about Regina were gone.

"No." Emma shook her head. "It will only stop Rumpelstiltskin from controlling her. Bringing back Regina's heart isn't going to restore her memories. Only magic can do that."

"We have to find Blue," David suddenly said and the others looked up in surprise. "She's a fairy. She can do magic. Maybe she can help!"

"How are we ever going to find her?" Emma wondered. "We were all sent back to the Enchanted Forest but everyone ended up in a different place. It could take us days to find her. We haven't got that much time."

"She's a fairy godmother," Mary Margaret said with a smile. "She'll find us."

"Come on," David said and his hand briefly touched Emma's arm. To anybody else the touch would have seemed meaningless but Emma knew this was her father's way of telling her that it was going to be allright. He couldn't bring himself to speak those words, struggling to let go of his hatred for Regina, but she knew that he was trying and for now that was enough.

"We have to clear up this camp and get back to Granny and Henry."

"Granny?" Emma asked. "I thought she was at her cottage?"

"Think again," Ruby grinned. "Not long after you and Mary Margaret left we realised we couldn't sit round and wait for you to come back. We packed up our stuff and traced your tracks." She arched an eyebrow in amusement when Emma gave her a questioning look. "I've got the best nose in town after all."

"But I thought you were going to try and find the others?"

"Some of them found us," Ruby explained as she packed a couple of blankets away. "Not long after we left the cottage we ran into Archie. Turns out he found the dwarves and they were going to set up camp at Granny's cottage. From there they're trying to find anybody else who could help us."

It took them maybe twenty minutes to pack up their belongings and they left on foot, making their way through the woods. These woods were much brighter than the one where the soldiers had found Emma and Mary Margaret. As they walked Emma saw squirrels running along narrow tree branches whilst wonderfully coloured birds sang summer songs, their little voices high pitched and beautifully in tune. Rabbits disappeared underneath bushes and peered out from behind leaves, curiously watching the visitors.

Emma's thoughts were with Regina. She couldn't forget the moment where her hand had covered Regina's chest and she'd felt no heartbeat. For a moment the world had felt like the loneliest, emptiest place. She'd looked up into those dark brown eyes she'd come to love only to see a shadow looking back. She so desperately wanted the Regina back that she had fallen in love with only to be confronted by someone she didn't know. The memory brought tears to her eyes and made her own heart ache. Never before had she realised how much it actually hurt to miss someone.

Her mind then drifted back to the moment where their hands had touched the ring together. The memory of their kiss was overpowering and only made her hurt more. She wanted that moment back. She wanted all of it back, no matter how difficult it would have been in Storybrooke, she couldn't accept that it was gone.

"Emma?"

Mary Margaret's soft voice roused her daughter from her thoughts and Emma looked up, confused.

"You ok?"

"Yeah," she lied. "Fine."

"I know you're lying."

"Then why bother asking?"

Mary Margaret sighed. "Emma, I'm so sorry."

The blonde shook her head. "It's ok."

"No, it's not," Mary Margaret said. "We were too blinded by own hatred to see that people can change. If we hadn't been so ignorant then maybe this wouldn't have happened and Regina wouldn't be…" She didn't finish her sentence.

"Gold would have gotten to her one way or the other," Emma answered bitterly. "He was out to get her from the beginning and…" She stopped in her tracks and narrowed her eyes. "Wait!"

David and Ruby, who had been walking a few metres ahead of them turned around.

"When Regina couldn't kill me, Gold tried to do it himself," Emma said softly. Her eyes darted from left to right as she began fitting the pieces together. "His original plan was for Regina to kill me and drag her back into the darkness but when she failed, he didn't stop there. He was trying to kill me himself."

"Emma, what are you saying?" Mary Margaret asked.

"I'm saying that there's something else Gold wants!"

"And what's that?"

"Me." Emma looked up at her mother. "I think he wants to kill me."

"Why would Gold want to kill you?" David asked. "He added the part into the Curse that allowed you to break it. If he wanted you dead, don't you think he would have just left the Curse the way it was? You wouldn't have been able to break it then."

"But Regina would have been in control, not him," Emma said. The hint of fear in her voice didn't stay unnoticed. "That's where things change."

"So let's say you're right and Rumpelstiltskin real plan is to kill you," Mary Margaret said slowly, her worried gaze now lingering on her daughter. "What would his reason be?"

"I don't know," Emma said slowly and stared down at the ground. "I don't know."

Everyone stood in silence for a few more minutes before David turned around and started walking again. Ruby didn't hesitate and quickly caught up with him but Mary Margaret held back, not quite reassured that Emma was indeed alright. When the blonde started walking again she felt her mother's eyes on her for most of the way and she avoided making eye contact, focusing instead on the realisation that Rumpelstiltskin was not only out to destroy Regina, he was also out to kill her.

After about an hour they reached a large clearing in the woods and Ruby quickly ran the last few metres to the front door of a small house that had been built amongst the trees. Moss and leaves covered the roof and the walls were overgrown with ivy. The structure blended in perfectly with nature surrounding it. Flowers blossomed in the grass and butterflies seemed to dance effortlessly on the soft breeze as the group of people reached the small house.

The door opened and Henry poked his head around. His face lit up when he saw Emma and he ran out of the house, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist when he reached her. Emma dropped down to her knees and enveloped her son in her arms. Softly she kissed him on his head, taking in his familiar scent. She fought against the tears that were burning behind her eyes and just held Henry as tightly as she possibly could.

"I've missed you," Emma breathed into her son's ear.

"I missed you too," he answered and looked up at her. She could see the questions in his eyes. "Did you see my mom?"

"Yes," Emma answered and watched as Henry's face lit up. Her heart broke as she thougt about telling him what had happened to Regina. "Yes, I did."

"Where is she?" Henry looked past Emma, half and half expecting to see Regina appear through the trees. Emma shared his longing. There was nothing she wanted more.

She held her son at an arm's length and looked into his eyes. "Henry, there's something you need to know."

"What's going on?"

"Something happened to Regina."

"Is she hurt?"

"No," Emma answered softly and she prayed there was some way she could spare Henry from hearing the truth about Regina but there wasn't. "Not exactly. Rumpelstiltskin did something to her. He… he changed her."

Henry frowned. "What do you mean? What did he do?"

"Henry, Rumpelstiltskin took your mother's heart and erased her memories." Emma's voice broke. "She doesn't remember who we are."

Henry's face fell and the tears in his eyes broke Emma's heart. "She doesn't remember me?"

Emma shook her head. "I'm afraid so, kid," she whispered and brushed some hair out of his eyes. "But we're going to find a way that will help her and she will remember us again." She kissed his forehead in the hope that it was enough for her son to believe her. Her arms wrapped around him as tightly as he would let her. "We'll get her back."

She and Henry eventually went inside and found the others sitting around a heavy wooden table. Emma pulled up a chair as Henry climbed onto the bench next to Ruby. Granny gave them both a steaming mug of tea and something that looked like apple pie although Emma wasn't sure. She curiously prodded it with her fork only to find that there wasn't actually fruit in the cake but meat. Her green eyes flashed up to Granny.

"Venison," the older woman answered. "Not my favourite animal to kill but we've gotta eat."

Emma didn't realise how hungry she was until she put the first forkful of pie in her mouth. Suddenly her stomach grumbled and she didn't waste time polishing off the food that was in front of her. She sipped from her tea and only half listened to the conversation around the table. David was updating Granny on Regina's missing heart and in return Granny informed them that they had managed to find most of Storybrooke's residents, including one that would be of great interest to them. Emma's eyes snapped up.

"You've found Belle."

Granny nodded, her face beaming with pride. "Sure did."

"Where is she?" Emma breathed and the older woman pointed at the door.

"Asleep in the other room. Poor thing's been wandering through the woods for days."

Emma's throat became dry. "Rumpelstiltskin's in love with her."

"I know," Mary Margaret said, a hint of a smile lingering on her lips. "We all do. It's why we wanted to find her. She can be the one thing that can control that little imp."

Emma's eyes lingered on the door separating the small dining area from the bedroom. "She can be a hell of a lot more than that." Green eyes darkened as she got up from her chair and stared for the door. Her hand reached out for the doorknob but Mary Margaret's voice called her back.

"Emma, what are you doing?"

"We need to talk to her!"

"It can wait," Mary Margaret urged. "Belle is exhausted. She needs to rest. She won't be of any use to us if she's tired. She may be able to help us find Rumpelstiltskin or at least convince him to stop what he's doing."

Emma sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Ok." She took a deep breath. "But we need to get back to Regina fast. She's trapped with no idea what's happening to her. She must be terrified and she must feel so alone." Her eyes drifted around the table, briefly meeting each set that belonged to her family and friends. "We can't leave her like this. Everyone wants to know they're not alone."

"We'll find her," Mary Margaret promised. "We'll start by calling for Blue and we can take it from there. Once she tells us what kind of magic was used we can work on breaking the spell and Regina will come back."

"Rumpelstiltskin had better be ready," Emma said menacingly as she walked back to the table. "He of all people should know that using magic _always_ comes at a price."

* * *

**Well, let me hear your thoughts, folks!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Darkness had fallen an hour ago and they had finished eating the stew Granny and Ruby had made. Emma hadn't expected it to taste as nice as it did but after her first spoonful she couldn't stop. Now that the bowls were empty and the room was lit by candles, Emma looked around the table. Everyone looked tired and worn out but at the same time she recognised the resilience in their eyes. She took a deep breath, folded her hands on the table and her gaze found Mary Margaret's.

"We need to find Blue," she said. "She's the only one who can help us save Regina."

"She'll come to us," Ruby insisted. "It's what fairy godmothers do. They hear our wishes and then they find us to grant them."

"Then why isn't she here yet?" Emma asked impatiently.

"She'll come," Mary Margaret reassured her. "She's never let us down before and she won't do it now either."

Granny glanced at the bedroom door. "What are we going to do with her?"

"This is Belle we're talking about," Ruby said. "She's harmless. I know she's Rumpelstiltskin's true love or whatever but Belle herself wouldn't hurt a fly. I think that she can help us save Regina. And even if she can't, we can at least use her against Gold."

"I won't be some bargaining tool," said an unexpected voice.

The door to the bedroom had opened and Belle appeared. She looked straight at Ruby and anger flickered in her eyes. "I know what he is, I know what he's done, but I will not help you to destroy him."

"Nobody's asking you to do that," Emma said and she stood up to give Belle her seat. She glared at Granny who got up and found a bowl of stew for her. Belle eagerly started to eat and after a few mouthfuls she looked up at Emma. The blonde tried to smile.

"Do you know what he's done?" she asked. "To Regina?"

"Regina?" Belle asked. "Regina's here?"

"Everyone's here," David said and looked at Belle. She looked back at him with confusion etched across her face. "Including Gold. Or Rumpelstiltskin. Or whoever or whatever you prefer. He's here but he's back to his old tricks."

"He promised me he wouldn't hurt anyone," Belle said softly. Her green eyes found Emma's. "What has he done?"

"He erased Regina's memories," Emma said coolly. The bitterness crept into her voice without warning and she mentally scolded herself for taking her anger over Rumpelstiltskin out on Belle. She pushed her hands into the pockets of her jeans and sighed. "And he took her heart."

"Her heart?" Belle looked horrified. "What did he do with it?"

"We don't know," Mary Margaret said. "But if you take someone's heart, you control them completely. You can tell them what to think, what to say and what to do." She paused. "You also decide when they die."

"Why? Why would he do that?" Belle asked.

"To get back at Regina and to get to me," Emma answered. "Most of this goes back to the time where Rumpelstiltskin created the Curse for Regina. In return she promised him her life but when they reached Storybrooke he didn't remember who he was or who she was, so he had no control over her and Regina never lived up to her end of the deal. When he got his memory back, he remembered what Regina had promised him. When the Curse was broken he gave her an ultimatum; kill me or give up her life."

"Why didn't he just take her heart in Storybrooke?" Belle wanted to know. "Why go through all this to get her back here?"

"Because Regina fell in love," David said softly and looked up at Emma. His daughter's eyes reflected sadness now that he spoke those words out loud and he suddenly felt a sharp pang of guilt. "The heart he would have taken wasn't the same as the heart that belonged to the Evil Queen. To get what he wanted, Gold had to bring her back here and resurrect the Evil Queen. He erased all memories of Emma and of Henry and removed her heart. Now Regina's back to whom she was before and Rumpelstiltskin finally owns the Evil Queen."

"So what does he want to do with Regina?" Belle wondered. "He's got her heart, he erased her memories…"

"There is one thing he couldn't erase though," Emma interjected. "Regina's wearing a ring. A ring I gave her the night we were sent back to the Enchanted Forest. The ring only fits my one true love." She hesitated. "Regina." She felt her stomach do an unexpected flip. "When Regina and I touched the ring together, we both saw a flash of our old lives in Storybrooke so Rumpelstiltskin wasn't able to remove that from her."

"Nothing can erase true love," Belle said softly and looked up at Emma. Her eyes reflected regret. "It's the most powerful magic in the world. No curse can break that. Eventually people will always find each other because love is stronger than any force in any realm."

"Rumpelstiltskin will know that too," Emma said. "He probably knows that more than anyone."

Belle stared down at the table surface as she remembered the time her path had first crossed that of an imp called Rumpelstiltskin. She didn't like him at first. In fact, she probably hated him more than anything, but over time she noticed that the way she looked at him had begun to change. She could see the man behind the mask of the Dark One. A man who had loved and lost, who had been hurt and had been broken. That was the man she learnt to love and with that came his other sides but she had seen who he was underneath. Slowly she looked back up at Emma.

"I more than anyone know what it's like to fall in love with someone nobody else really understands," she said and her green eyes found Emma's. She ignored the way the others looked at her. "I know what it's like to see behind a mask, to see the person they used to be hidden underneath. I know, deep down, that Regina wasn't always the Evil Queen she became, the same way everybody else knows that too. The difference is that I understand why you fell in love with her, Emma, because it's the same reason I fell in love with him. We saw the person they are now, who they were in the past as well as the present, instead of the mask they became."

"Thank you," Emma said quietly and felt an unexpected blush creep onto her cheeks. "It can't have been easy."

Belle suddenly smiled and reached out to cover Emma's hand with her own. "Love never is."

A startling light blue glow began to form in the middle of the room. It grew brighter and larger until they were able to identify the shape of a human body. Emma blinked a few times until she recognised Blue, or Mother Superior, in her fairy form. Her curly hair framed her face and her wings looked like they had been spun from the finest silk.

"Blue!" David exclaimed and he jumped up in relief when he recognised her. "Thank God you found us."

"I'm sorry it took me a while," Blue apologised. "The lands have been torn apart. A lot has changed."

"What do you mean?" Mary Margaret asked.

"It seems that when the Curse was cast, time froze here," Blue said. "Only a handful of people stayed behind, trapped in some kind of spell of their own. Nobody really knows why but it turns ou that there have been wars while we were away. Villages have been burnt to the ground and ogres are roaming large parts of these lands. Nothing is like it was."

Emma looked at Mary Margaret, remembering the burnt village they had passed on their journey to the castle.

"Cora."

David turned around when Emma mentioned that name. It had been a long time since he had last heard it. "What?"

"It was Cora," Emma said resolutely. "It had to be."

"Cora?" Ruby questioned. "I have heard that name before. Wasn't she the miller's daughter?"

"She is also Regina's mother," Mary Margaret explained. "I met her when I was a little girl. She seemed nice. Deceptively nice even but I soon learnt she was manipulative and evil. When Regina was young you wouldn't have believed Regina was her daughter. Cora murdered the only other person Regina ever loved right in front of her. Regina never forgave her but as a result she turned to magic. We all know who taught her."

"Twenty bucks says Cora had the same teacher," Emma said and shook her head. "He's been planning this for a very long time." She took a deep breath. "If you're right and Cora is responsible for most of the terror we've seen, how much danger are we in?"

"Cora?" Mary Margaret said. "Think Regina but ten times worse. If Cora is somehow behind the destruction of our lands, then we're in for a lot worse than we expected." Her eyes darkened. "The woman doesn't have a heart."

"Neither does Regina at the moment and I'd really like to get it back," Emma reminded her and she turned to Blue. "Can you help us?"

"Rumpelstiltskin took Regina's heart and erased her memories of Storybrooke," David added. "She doesn't remember Emma or Henry or anybody else. She also wears Emma's ring and when they both touch it, Regina sees flashes from their old lives. But other than that, she doesn't remember."

"The most important thing is to get Regina's heart back," Blue answered. "As long as Rumpelstiltskin has it, he controls Regina. Whatever reasons he may have, they will not be good. We have to find out where he keeps the heart and bring it back."

"What about her memories?" Emma whispered. "How will we restore them?"

Blue flew down to the table and sat down. She put her magic wand down in her lap. "The magic used from Regina can only be countered with one other spell. It has to be done within the fifth sunset after the Curse was cast or the memory loss will be permanent." Her eyes drifted to the window. "We only have three more days."

"We have to do something!" Henry piped up. Tears constricted his voice. "I can't lose my mom!"

"Can you do it?" Emma asked the blue fairy. She sounded hopeful. There was a gauntness to her, as if the little bit of hope she was clinging on to was beginning to slip away from her. She looked tired and worn out, her blonde hair messy and her clothes stained. Her body was weak and she felt like she could collapse at any moment but she kept on going. She couldn't give up now. "Can you bring back Regina's memory?"

She hoped the answer was what she so desperately wanted to hear. She needed something, anything, to hold on to. The empty look in Regina's eyes, the hollowness of her chest where her heart should have been, haunted her. She wanted nothing more than to bring her back, to see again the woman she had grown to love. She'd give anything for the fire in Regina's eyes, the slight hint of accusation in her voice. She wanted it back, all of it, and she would hold on for as long as she could if it meant she'd find a way.

Blue sadly shook her head. "That kind of magic is beyond my capabilities, Emma. I can grant wishes and turn pumpkins into carriages, but I cannot bring back a memory that was taken by magic." She took a deep breath. "I only know of one man who has ever done something like this before but it was a long time ago. His name is Merlin."

"Merlin?" Emma asked and sceptically arched an eyebrow. "Really?"

"You know him?" David asked, looking at his daughter in surprise.

"Who doesn't?!" Emma answered. "I mean haven't you ever heard of the Sword in the Stone?"

Mary Margaret shook her head. "No." She looked back at Blue. "Who is this Merlin?"

"He's a very powerful wizard," Blue answered. "The most powerful there is, perhaps. In some ways he is more powerful than the Dark One. I have heard many stories about his magic. I have no doubt that he will be able to help us."

"Where do we find him?" Emma asked.

"When the Curse was cast, a small part of these lands was protected from its impact," Blue explained. "People couldn't leave or travel but once the Curse was broken, people could leave again. It was how the wars started and how the ogres moved into the rest of our lands. Merlin used to live in the Enchanted Forest, in small cottage, but I heard that when the Curse was broken, he left."

"Left?" Emma breathed. "Where did he go?"

Blue took a deep breath. "The second star to the right…."

"Neverland." Mary Margaret stood up. "Merlin's gone to Neverland."

Emma ran her fingers through her hair. "Neverland? As in, Peter Pan and the Lost Boys? And Captain Hook?" She shook her head in disbelief. "As if having to believe that Snow White is real wasn't confusing enough you're telling me that every single Fairytale or story I heard when I was a kid, is true?"

"How do we get to Neverland?" Ruby asked. "There are no magic beans to open a portal between the other worlds. Unless we find one we have no way of getting there." Her eyes found Emma's. "And we only have three days before Regina forgets Emma forever."

"There is a portal," Blue said and Emma's eyes snapped up in surprise. "Not many people know it exists but the portal remains permanently open."

"The portal is open?" Mary Margaret asked. "But that means we can go back to Storybrooke!"

Blue shook her head. "The portal only connects the Forest to Neverland. It doesn't go anywhere else."

"Where is it?" David's face fell as he realised that the portal wasn't the way home they had all been so desperate for but at least it was a glimmer of hope. "How do we find it?"

"The ocean," Blue answered and she noticed the sadness written across people's faces. For a moment they had believed there was a way home only to find that there wasn't. "The portal was created inside the Mermaid Cave. It's been there for many years. Some believe that when a bean was thrown into the water, it reacted differently than it did on land. On land the portal closes but in water is had stayed open. For years it has allowed mermaids to swim between different realms. They guard the entrance, allowing only very few to pass."

"Can you take us there?" Emma wanted to know. "Can you take us to the portal?"

"It would take us until midmorning to reach the ocean but I can take you there," Blue answered. "I will speak to the mermaids and see to it that they will allow you to pass."

Emma stood up. "I'm going."

"Emma, you can't do this alone," Mary Margaret insisted. "You don't know this land, you don't know Neverland. I can't let you do this on your own." She stood up and walked over to her daughter, taking Emma's hands into her own. Their eyes found each other. Emma could see the tears in Mary Margaret's eyes. "Let me help you."

"You go to Neverland," David decided and looked around the table. Everyone else appeared to be in agreement. "The rest of us will deal with Rumpelstiltskin and find Regina's heart."

Emma swallowed the hard lump in the back of her throat and nodded. She then turned to Blue. "We haven't got much time."

They said their goodbyes and Granny supplied Emma and Mary Margaret with some fresh bread and fruit for along the way. They packed up their bags with only the items they would really need and Emma accepted a dagger that Belle pulled from behind her shirt. They shared a quiet look of understanding before Belle averted her gaze and Emma kneeled down to the ground to hug Henry.

"I promise I'll do what I can to bring her back," she whispered into her son's ear. "I'm not giving up on her." She looked at him and was suddenly struck by how much he had grown. Somehow he no longer looked like the kid that had turned up outside her apartment. She ruffled his hair and kissed his forehead. "I'm not giving up on us as a family."

Henry looked up to her with tears in his eyes. "I love you, mom."

"I love you too, kid."

She got up and joined Mary Margaret and Blue who had already left the cottage. She closed the door behind her and found the other two waiting a couple of metres away. She joined them and they started their journey through the woods in the direction of the ocean. Emma didn't know there was a coastline in these lands at all and as they walked she asked Mary Margaret what she knew about it.

"I only went to the beach a few times when I was a little girl," Mary Margaret answered and a echo of sadness laced her words. "My mother loved it there. Father never took me again after she died."

"I'm sorry," Emma whispered. "You must have loved her a lot."

Mary Margaret gave Emma a sideways glance. "Every parent loves their child and every child, in some way, will love their parents. Even to hate them they must have loved them first. I loved my mother and I would have given my last breath to bring her back but, in a way, her death brought me something I may never have had if she had lived." She looked at her daughter. "You."

Emma swallowed hard. "It hasn't been easy, has it?"

"No, it hasn't," Mary Margaret answered and took Emma's hand. "But one day it will be."

"Yeah," Emma sighed. "One day."

She looked up to the skies and saw the first rays of sunshine appearing behind the horizon. Soon the darkness would be gone. Another day was dawning. They were running out of time. She felt her heart skip a beat at the realisation that if they failed to find Merlin, Regina would be lost forever. She heaved a sigh and glanced at her mother.

"Why her heart?" she sighed. "Why take her heart?"

"We experience every emotion inside our hearts," Mary Margaret answered. "Anger, sadness… Love."

Emma looked at her mother. "He took Regina's heart because she loved me."

"She loves you." Mary Margaret reassured her. "She will always love you."

"I heard a saying once, when I was living with one of my foster families," Emma said and her eyes darkened slightly.

"Yeah?" Mary Margaret asked. "What was it?"

Emma watched as the fine rays of golden sunshine rapidly chased the darkness away. The start of a new day felt like the end of something else. Time was running out. She swallowed hard and looked at her mother.

"Those who are heartless once cared too much." She turned her face away. "Maybe they were right."

* * *

**Note:** You guys have no idea how annoyed I was when I found out that they were taking the series to Neverland in the finale. I had just started writing this story when I stumbled across the spoilers and I was actually really irritated. It had been my plan all along and suddenly the show actually moves some of the characters to Neverland. Only advantage I have now? In my story they're getting there before they do on TV! Let me hear your thoughts!


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Time felt different here, Emma thought. Logically she knew it was all in her head but it seemed to move faster. The sun was bright over their heads, shining high in the clear blue skies. The sound of birds singing had slowly faded the closer they came to the coast. She could hear the waves rushing in but she could not yet see the beach. She walked behind Mary Margaret, who seemed far more familiar with these woods and fields than Emma ever imagined she would be. The longer she looked at her mother the more she began to recognise Snow White. She was the person Mary Margaret had once been before the Curse struck. How much of that person was she still?

"We're almost there!" Blue called enthusiastically from the front and Emma's eyes snapped up. The fairy godmother had been floating ahead, every so often turning around to talk to Mary Margaret. It was almost as if she had noticed that Emma preferred her own thoughts for company instead of talking to them. She was trying to understand and make sense of it all. She could deal with the stress of Neverland when that moment came. All she could think about now was Regina.

She could smell the salt in the air and the wind direction changed, pulling at her hair. They were definitely close now. Emma's increased her pace and caught up with Mary Margaret and Blue.

"If the portal to Neverland is in the water then how are going to get there?" she asked.

"We'll swim," Mary Margaret answered.

"Swim?" Emma's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "In case you've forgotten, humans can only hold their breaths for like thirty seconds! How do you expect us to swim to another land?!"

Mary Margaret smiled. "We won't be alone."

"Not alone?" Emma ran her fingers through her hair. "Then who exactly is going to be with us?"

"They are."

Emma followed they direction Mary Margaret pointed in and her jaw dropped when she saw the group of five mermaids close to the beach. Three were splashing around in the water, their finds glistening in the bright sunlight. They had the most beautiful of colours. Coral blue, intense purple and fiery red and they all seemed to be dusted with hints of silver. Their long hair covered what she assumed were their bare chests. Two other mermaids had perched themselves onto a large rock and appeared to be soaking up the sunshine.

The one nearest to them, with bright red hair and stunning green fins looked up when she became aware of the strangers approaching across the beach. Around her the other mermaids quickly disappeared beneath the surface but she remained where she was. As they came closer a hint of a smile spread across her face and she suddenly slipped off the rocks into the water only to emerge closer to the beach. Emma's jaw dropped when the red haired young woman suddenly walked onto the beach.

"How did she do that?" she breathed as she grabbed Mary Margaret's arm. "I swear she just had a tail but now… she's got legs?!"

"Mermaids can live both in water and on land," Mary Margaret explained. "Most of them can't keep their human form for very long but some, like Ariel, have learnt to keep their legs a little longer."

"Ariel?" Emma asked in disbelief. "You're kidding me, right?"

Mary Margaret glanced at her daughter. "Another fairy-tale?"

"You can say that again."

"Blue!" Ariel called out when she finally reached the trio and she raised her hand. Blue slowly sank down into the open palm before looking over her shoulder at Emma and Mary Margaret. It seemed that Ariel didn't recognise either of them.

"These are my friends," Blue explained. "This is Emma and this…this is Snow White."

"Snow White," Ariel said slowly and she looked at Mary Margaret with a smile. Whatever initial hesitation she may have felt, it seemed to have faded. If Blue trusted them enough to be her friends then she trusted them too. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Thank you," Mary Margaret said and bowed her head.

"Ariel, we need your help," Blue said and looked over the mermaid's shoulder at the ocean behind her. Her friends had reappeared at a safe distance, their heads poking out through the soft waves. Behind them lay a large rock formation that was so tall it almost looked like a cliff although it was not attached to land. From where they stood they could see the entrance to the cave but the real mystery of Mermaid Cave was hidden from view. It lay below the surface.

"Of course," Ariel answered and Emma recognised the emotion in the mermaid's eyes. She'd seen it in her own. It was gratitude. Instantly she realised that Blue had answered one of Ariel's wishes. "I haven't forgotten what you did for me, Blue. I promised I would try and return the favour one day. What can I do?"

"I need you to take Snow and Emma down into the Mermaid Cave and through the portal," Blue answered and Ariel's eyes widened. "You need to take them to Neverland." She saw the hint of fear in Ariel's eyes. "Ariel, I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important. They_ need_ to get to Neverland."

"Why?" Ariel asked.

"To find a wizard named Merlin," Emma answered and stepped closer to Ariel. "Only he can undo the spell Rumpelstiltskin placed on my true love."

"True love?" the mermaid questioned.

"Yes," Emma whispered. "Her name's Regina." She didn't care if Ariel knew her as the Evil Queen or not. To her she was Regina and she always would be. Emma's hand slowly crept up to her chest. "Rumpelstiltskin put a spell on her and took her heart. She doesn't remember who I am. Only Merlin can help us now. We only have two more days or…" Her voice broke. "Or Regina will be lost and I'll lose the only person I ever truly loved."

"You know this is dangerous, don't you?" Ariel asked. She pointed at the cave behind her. "The waters down there are strong. I can ask my sisters to accompany us but even they cannot help you if the current takes over." She swallowed hard. "If we manage to get you through the portal we'll take you as far as the ocean surrounding the island. None of us will go near Neverland's beach."

"Why not?" Mary Margaret wanted to know. "What's there?"

"Something not from this world," Ariel answered and there was a hint of fear in her voice. "Neverland isn't exactly what people make it out to be."

"That's because of Hook, right?" Emma asked and Mary Margaret looked up in surprise. The blonde shrugged. For once she knew something about these worlds that Mary Margaret didn't. "He's the pirate that sails the seas surrounding Neverland. Always looking for that damn crocodile and a boy named Peter."

"Hook is evil," Ariel spoke and the way she mentioned the pirate's name reflected something more than fear. It was anger and hatred, hidden deep below the surface of her beautiful mermaid appearance. "I've seen what he did to one of the mermaids who chose to stay in his waters too long." A cold chill crept down her spine as the memory returned. The story had horrified the entire mermaid community and for weeks no one had even dared to go near the portal, let alone through it. She's mounted to the front of his ship."

Emma shuddered. "He killed her?"

Ariel's eyes darkened. "He tortured her. Dragged her from the water onto his ship and then had his men nail her…" She couldn't finish her sentence and she looked back at Blue. "I will take them through but I return before we reach the realm of Neverland. Then they'll be on their own."

"We appreciate your help, Ariel," Mary Margaret said. "We really do."

"You'd better hurry," Blue said and she slipped off Ariel's hand and looked at the soft waves rolling onto the beach. "We haven't got much time."

"Alana!" Ariel called and one of the mermaids turned around. She'd been talking to her sisters and friends but now swam over as close to the rock Ariel had been sitting on earlier as she could and curiously eyed up the strangers on the beach.

"We need to take them into the Cave and through the portal," Ariel explained and Alana's face fell. Clearly she wasn't keen on going anywhere near the portal. Ariel was quick to intervene so that her sister couldn't protest. "I've said we'll take them through but we leave before we reach the surface in Neverland. From there on they're on their own." Her green eyes found her sister's dark ones. "They're trying to save someone's life. We have no choice but to help."

"Very well," Alana reluctantly said and pushed herself away from the roc. Her gaze found Mary Margaret and she beckoned her to come into the water.

Emma watched how her mother tentatively walked the last few metres across the beach and then stepped into the sea water. Ariel slowly walked into the water and her legs instantly changed back into a tail. She reached out a hand for Emma to follow and the blonde realised she too would have to enter the water. She took a deep breath and braced herself for the cold water only to be surprised when it was pleasantly warm. After a few steps she was submerged up to her waist. Mary Margaret was a little ahead of her, already swimming. Alana was right beside her.

"Are you ready?" Ariel asked.

Emma nodded. Her feet lost contact with the bottom and she was now floating in the warm sea water. Instinctively she began making swimming motions with her arms and legs. It had been a long time since she swam, either in the sea or in a pool. Suddenly she was grateful for that warm summer afternoon when one of her foster brothers had insisted she'd learn to swim. When she first got into the water she'd been terrified but after a few minutes she's figured out what to do with her limbs. That night their foster mother had struggled to get her out of the pool and into the house.

"When we reach the cave I need you to take one deep breath, okay?" Ariel asked.

"That's never going to be enough," Emma whispered. There was no way she could hold her breath long enough to swim through the portal and unlike Ariel she couldn't breathe under water. "How will I breathe?"

"Leave that to me," Ariel promised and smiled before pointing ahead. "Looks like they're ready to go."

Mary Margaret and Alana had reached the cave but instead of disappearing below the surface they waited for Ariel and Emma to catch up. When they reached them Emma felt herself panic. The entrance to the cave was narrow and looked barely big enough for them. She glanced at Ariel.

"How are we going to get through?"

"We have to go underwater," Ariel said. "Remember what I said about taking a deep breath?"

Emma nervously looked from the cave to the mermaid. "Yeah, but I'm not sure I like it."

"You're going to be fine," Ariel said reassuringly and made eye contact with her sister. Emma felt the mermaid take her hand. "Ready?"

Emma took the deepest breath she could and held it. At that same time Ariel suddenly pulled her under the surface and Emma felt the water rush around her. For a moment she kept her eyes squeezed shut but then she opened them. To her surprise the water was clear and she could see perfectly. Brightly coloured fish whizzed by, not in the least disturbed by the four women swimming down towards the cave. Some even circled Alana and Ariel, clearly familiar with the mermaids. Ariel reached out to touch what looked like an angel fish and smiled as it swam off.

Emma's gaze was then drawn to something inside the cave. They were almost at the entrance. Ariel dragged her through the water at great speed and she looked behind her to see the mermaid's tail move fast. She looked back ahead just in time to witness them swimming into the cave. She'd expected it to be dark inside but it was surprisingly bright. It only took her a second to realise why. At the bottom of the cave was a wide open whirlpool, with bright white lights dancing across it. The water around it seemed to flow peacefully but in the middle of the portal a strong current had formed.

Emma felt her lungs press against her ribcage as the oxygen slowly began to run out. Panic overwhelmed her and she pulled at Ariel's arm. The red-haired mermaid turned to look at her and recognised the fear in Emma's eyes. She also saw the bubbles around her head. Emma was losing her air and if she didn't do something now the blonde would drown.

Emma's eyes widened in surprise when she felt Ariel's soft lips against her own. Her first instinct was to push her away but then she realised Ariel was trying to blow air into her mouth. Carefully she parted her lips enough for Ariel to cover them and she felt the much needed oxygen flow back into her body. Her arms hung lifeless by her side as Ariel's hands cupped her cheeks.

After a couple of seconds the mermaid moved away and briefly made eye contact before grabbing Emma's hand again. She began to swim down to the portal below them and a few metres ahead of them Emma could see Alana and Mary Margaret in a similar position she and Ariel had just been in. The two parted as they approached and Alana took Mary Margaret's hand. She looked over her shoulder at Ariel. She nodded and Alana and Mary Margaret swam straight into the crazy current inside the portal.

Ariel's grip on Emma's hand tightened and she followed her sister and Mary Margaret. A few seconds later they were swallowed up into the rapid current and they were sucked down into the depths of the portal. Emma had to close her eyes. The world around her was moving so fast she couldn't make out shapes or colours. It made her feel nauseous. She clung on to Ariel's hand as the pressure inside her chest and her head began to mount again.

Suddenly the motion stopped and Emma's eyes snapped open. They were in the middle of the ocean again. The waters here were far less clear than the ones back in the Enchanted Forest and colder too. She could just about make out the shapes of Alana and Mary Margaret in the distance and turned to look at Ariel. In the dark waters her skin looked ghostly pale. Her red hair was a striking feature against the dark backdrop.

"It's time," Ariel said, almost with a sing song voice. She pointed ahead. Alana was coming back, leaving Mary Margaret. "This is as far as we'll go. You have enough air to reach the surface but from there you're on your own." Her hand slipped out of Emma's and she slowly began to drift away. She waved before she began to fade into the water's darkness. "Good luck, Emma Swan."

Emma looked from Ariel back to Mary Margaret and watched her mother swim towards the surface. She gave a few strong kicks with her legs. She was eager to breathe again and kept kicking until she finally broke the surface. She inhaled deeply and sharply, her lungs expanding eagerly. She coughed and some seat water poured from her mouth. Strands of blonde hair stuck to her face and she wiped them out of her eyes before looking around for Mary Margaret. She appeared a few feet away, spluttering and coughing but otherwise fine.

"Emma!" she called when she saw her daughter.

"I know," Emma said as she reached her mother and took her hand. Her eyes darted around. "Where are we?"

Mary Margaret's eyes fixed on something ahead of them and she squeezed Emma's hand. The blonde turned and her jaw dropped when she saw the large island. It was maybe fifty feet away, with crisp white beaches and large palm trees. It seemed deserted and Mary Margaret's face lit up.

"Neverland."

They swam towards the beach and Emma staggered onto the soft white sand before dropping down her knees. Every muscle in her body hurt. She looked beside her. Mary Margaret lay on her back, short strands of black hair covering her eyes. Their clothes clung to their bodies but with the golden sun high in the sky it wouldn't be long before they dried. Emma's eyes danced around their new surroundings. Tall palm trees full of coconuts, fruit trees and exotic looking flowers decorated the beach. The sand was pure and white. Although the water had been murky and dark, now that she looked at it from the beach it seemed a lot clearer.

A shadow fell across her face and Emma's eyes snapped up. A lone figure had appeared on the beach and their arms were folded across their chest. Sharp eyes looked down upon the two strangers.

"Who are you?" Emma asked curiously and the girl who was looking at her arched a contemptuous eyebrow.

"I'm Wendy. Who the hell are you?"

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**Welcome to Neverland! Thoughts, people? I'd love to hear them!**


	23. Chapter 23

_I just want to say that all your reviews and comments mean the world to me. I never expected my first OUAT Swan Queen fic to go down so well so thank you all for your support. You guys rock!_

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**Chapter 23**

Emma stared up at the blonde haired girl standing next to her. She couldn't be any older than sixteen and was dressed in a pair of black pants that seemed to have been designed for a boy and a simple white shirt. Her blonde hair was bound back in a loose ponytail and sharp blue eyes inspected the new arrivals with great suspicion.

"My name is Emma," Emma began and she scrambled to her feet. Her clothes were soaking wet and the sand clung to them. "And this…" She briefly glanced at her mother as if to decide whether to introduce her as her fairy-tale character or her Storybrooke alter ego. "This is Snow White."

"Snow White?" Wendy's eyebrows shot up in contempt. "Really?"

"Yes," Mary Margaret answered. "Really."

"Snow White lives in the Enchanted Forest. How did you get here?"

Emma was surprised to hear Wendy knew about the different realms. Suddenly she wondered how often people actually travelled from one place to another. She took a deep breath.

"The mermaids took us through the portal."

"The mermaids are afraid to come to Neverland." Wendy's eyes snapped back at Emma. "They wouldn't bring anyone here."

Emma's green eyes found Wendy's blue. "Not even when they're trying to help save someone's life?"

The girls' features softened as the words sank in and she casually glanced over her shoulder as ift o look for someone else. Emma didn't see another person on the beach so she could only assume Wendy was looking in the direction of home. When the girl looked back at them she seemed to have accepted they were not here to cause trouble.

"Sorry," she apologised. "Most people who come here do not have the best intentions."

"I understand," Mary Margaret answered. "You thought Hook sent us."

"You know him?" Wendy asked. There was a hint of fear in her eyes but Emma also detected the anger in her voice.

"Only from stories," Mary Margaret answered. "The mermaids told us what he did to one of their sisters."

"That's not all he's done," Wendy scoffed. Her gaze briefly drifted off to sea. The water was still and appeared crystal blue, a change from the murky depths from which they had emerged. A soft wind rustled the leaves of the trees on the beach. The skies were a perfect shade of blue, just like the Enchanted Forest had been, and the sun shone down on them.

Emma followed Wendy's gaze and realised the girl was looking for any sign of pirates. She didn't know what it was like to have ti live in constant fear of something or someone and she suddenly felt sorry for Wendy. She'd made a choice to come here and, judging from the age she was, she had at least gone home once or twice. The Wendy she remembered from the stories was a lot younger than sixteen when she first came to Neverland. That same Wendy also went back home to London and grew up. It seemed that somewhere along the way she had returned to Neverland.

Mary Margaret watched Wendy for a little while before saying, "We're looking for Merlin."

Wendy's eyes snapped up. "Merlin?"

"The wizard," Emma clarified. "Do you know him?"

"Everyone knows him," Wendy grinned. "The old fool."

Emma glanced at Mary Margaret. If Wendy described the most skilful wizard of all the realms as a fool then why the hell had Blue sent them here?

"Can you take us to him?" Emma asked. "We only have a day to find him or…" Her voice faltered.

"Or what?"

"Or the woman we're trying to save will die."

Emma turned to Mary Margaret. Regina wasn't anywhere near dying but when she looked up into her mother's eyes she realised that Mary Margaret had chosen those words to emphasize their point. They needed to find Merlin and it looked like Wendy was their only help in doing so. The mention of Regina possibly dying sent a chill down Emma's spine and she averted her eyes, staring down into the pure white sand of Neverland beach. She couldn't bear the thought.

"Come with me," Wendy said and pointed in the direction Emma had caught her looking in earlier. "Let's go home. I'm sure the boys will be able to help us."

Emma and Mary Margaret followed Wendy along a winding path that had been cut out through the trees. The most beautiful and exotic flowers grew everywhere, catching their eye and drawing in their attention and admiration. Emma had never seen anything like it and gasped quietly when she watched a tiny yet stunningly coloured humming bird whiz from one flower to the next. When she extended her hand to touch it the bird seemed nervous at first but then it flew over and landed on her finger. Behind her, Mary Margaret looked on in amusement. Interaction with animals wasn't new to her.

Emma gently stroked the tiny bird's head and then it flew off. She watched it go before quickly catching up with Wendy. The girl walked briskly, with determined steps. Emma recognised the walk of someone who had made this journey many times. Wendy knew Neverland like the back of her hand.

"Can I ask you something?" Emma curiously looked at Wendy.

"Sure."

"I thought you went home."

Wendy stopped in her tracks. "I did." Unexpectedly hard blue eyes looked up into Emma's green. "It wasn't to be."

Emma knew the signs. She knew not to ask any further and she fell silent, following Wendy along the path instead. In the distance they could still hear the soft sound of the waves crashing onto the beach. Neverland seemed like a peaceful place but Emma knew that appearances could be deceiving. Sometimes the most calm and quiet of places, or people, were actually the ones that were the most dangerous.

After about fifteen minutes they reached what looked like a dead end. Thick, tall fern plants obscured their path. Branches hung down from the trees almost like prison bars. Emma looked over her shoulder at Mary Margaret who shrugged but when she looked back at Wendy she watched how the girl squeezed herself through a small and impossible to see gap between several branches and plants.

Emma set her jaw and followed. It was surprisingly easy even though it looked difficult at first. The gap was bigger than she thought and she fit through it with ease. She reached back and helped Mary Margaret through and together they looked up. A tall and hollow tree that seemed to go on for as far as the eye could see stood in the middle of a large clearing. It had been impossible to see from the other side.

Emma whistled through her teeth. "Wow."

"Welcome to the Hangman's Tree," Wendy said and a smile spread across her face. "Welcome home."

Suddenly a cacophony of sound filled their ears as across the tree hatches were opened and faces of young boys appeared. They all appeared to be dressed in animal fur or their pyjamas and they all seemed to be delighted to see Wendy. One by one they came running from the tree only to freeze in their tracks when they realised Wendy had brought visitors. Their cheerful faces fell and one or two even looked terrified. The tallest of the boys looked from Emma and Mary Margaret to Wendy.

"Peter says no grown-ups are allowed here."

Wendy folded her arms. "Peter also says we need to help those who need it." She cocked one eyebrow. "Does he not?"

The boys nodded.

"They need our help," Wendy continued and pointed at Mary Margaret. "This Emma and this is her friend, Snow White." A soft gasp went through the group. "They're looking for Merlin."

"What do they need that idiot for?"

The voice who spoke came from the top of the tree and Emma had to shield her eyes from the sunlight as she peered up to the highest branch. There stood a boy, dressed all in green, with dark brown hair. He looked no older than sixteen, the same age as Wendy. He was skinny, Emma noticed, as if he hadn't eaten for a week. There was a hint of disdain etched across his face and before sh could speak he jumped off the branch and came whizzing down, doing gambols in the air as he did so.

"Of course," Emma uttered to herself. "Peter Pan can fly."

Peter landed next to Wendy and walked towards Emma and Mary Margaret. There was an air of arrogance around him Emma hadn't expected. It made the hairs in the back of her neck rise up.

"Why are you really here?" Peter demanded and he haughtily searched Emma's face, challenging her to contradict him. Her fingers twitched as she retrained herself from showing him some manners. "No one ever comes here for any other reason than to gain something for themselves."

"Have you ever loved somebody so much that you cannot imagine spending a single day without them?" Emma answered. The boy's face showed little to no reaction to her words. She let her green eyes dart around the larger group of boys, eventually coming to a rest on Wendy. "Have you ever felt that kind of feeling where you just want to spend the rest of your life with someone?" There still was no reaction. "A lover, a parent…" She paused. "A friend?"

Suddenly a couple of the boys moved. Even Peter seemed to shit his weight from one foot onto the other.

"Imagine finding someone who brings out the best in you, every single day. Someone who, no matter what, sees you just for you who you are. This person knows you better than you know yourself and although it's scary, it is the most reassuring thing in the world." Her voice broke and she was surprised by the tears welling up in her eyes. "Now imagine having that person in your life and seeing someone take it away from you. Someone took their heart, ripped it from their chest and hid it somewhere. They erased their memories of you. Now when they look at you they don't remember who you are or how much you once loved them. All that's left is an empty shell."

Peter turned away from her. His face was dark, as if a ghost from the past had suddenly caught up with him.

"We'll take you to him," he said without making eye contact.

Emma swallowed hard. "Thank you."

"You must be hungry," Wendy said, breaking the sudden tension tat continued to mount. Around her the boys began to scramble back to the tree and disappeared back inside. Peter was the only one who stayed behind, still watching Emma and Mary Margaret.

Wendy took Emma's arm. "I made soup this morning."

They used the least invasive entrance and after carefully walking down a couple of steps they found themselves standing inside the hollow tree. It was surprisingly large inside. A large table with a dozen of chairs that didn't match stood in the middle of the kitchen. A metal pot simmered away over a small fire. Whatever was in it smelt delicious. Pieces of clothing littered the floor and the sound of footsteps and excited voices echoed through the tree as the Lost Boys thundered into the kitchen, ready for their lunch.

Mary Margaret joined them at the table but Emma was held back when someone took her arm. She turned to find Peter behind her. He looked at her.

"What you said out there, about loving someone…" His gaze drifted back to Wendy. "Is that real?"

"Yeah," Emma answered. "It's real." She searched his face. "If you think it's real too then maybe you should tell her that." She glanced back at the group of people in the kitchen and caught Wendy looking at them. She recognised the look in the girls' eyes and looked back at the young man standing next to her. "Or maybe she already knows but she's just waiting for you to come to her."

"You think?" he asked. Suddenly the arrogance she'd seen outside was gone. What remained was a young man terrified of confronting the girl he loved out of fear she wouldn't love him back. Suddenly she realised that Peter's fear wasn't that he would grow up, it was that he would grow up alone.

"Yes," Emma whispered and let her hand rest on his arm. "Everyone wants to know that they're not alone."

She left him standing there and joined the others at the table. Mary Margaret pushed a bowl towards her followed by a chunk of read and Emma ate in silence, thinking about what she had just said to Peter. The more time passed, the more desperate she became to get back to Regina. She didn't want Regina to think that she was alone.

Once lunch was finished Wendy and Peter grabbed a few things before joining Emma and Mary Margaret outside. Emma looked up to the sky. The sun was high, indicating it was somewhere in the afternoon. Time was beginning to run out. When she looked back at Mary Margaret her mother saw the despair in her daughter's eyes.

"We'll make it," she promised and took Emma's hand. "I know we will."

Wendy and Peter led them out of the clearing the same way they had come in and they found themselves on the path that had led them here from the beach. This time however, instead of following it, Peter and Wendy turned left, into the trees and bushes. Only when they started walking did Emma notice there was a path but it wasn't nearly as obvious as the other one. She stayed close to Peter and Wendy and watched them from time to time. It was clear they had grown close and she wondered if they would ever admit how close.

Their journey was mostly silent, accompanied only by the sound of birds singing softly or the distant sound of the waves at the beach. The trees that surrounded them were unlike any Emma had ever seen before. The palm like trees reached as high as she could see, obscuring most of the sunlight. The rays that did fall through created a golden spectacle of light dancing in front of them. Tiny lizards and bright coloured birds shot out in front of them, almost causing Mary Margaret to trip. When Emma looked up again she noticed a large cobalt blue parrot looking down at her.

"How long has Merlin been here?" Emma asked after about half an hour.

"He just appeared one day," Peter answered. "Said he came from another world."

"Did he say why he came here?" Mary Margaret wanted to know. "Why did he leave?"

"He said something about a Curse," Peter replied and Emma and Mary Margaret shared a look. "He said someone had changed the lands he once knew but now the Curse was broken. He thought that things would change only to discover an even worse evil had been released."

Mary Margaret gasped. "Cora."

Emma turned to look at her mother. "Are you sure?"

"The only thing worse than Regina in her darker days, is the woman who gave birth to her."

"Why would Cora want to destroy the lands?"

"She doesn't." Mary Margaret's face hardened as the memories of Cora came back to her. Back then, when she was little, Cora had managed to manipulate her. Now she knew better. "All she's ever cared about is power. She doesn't want to destroy the lands. She wants to own them."

"Do you really think she's out there?" Emma whispered.

"I have to," Mary Margaret answered. "If Cora is indeed out there then we can't afford to underestimate what she's capable off."

"Could she be working with Rumpelstiltskin?"

Mary Margaret shook her head. "Either of them is too arrogant to share their power with someone else. And besides, despite all her twistedness, I think that in some way Cora does love Regina. She just has a very funny way of showing it."

"You don't say." Emma rolled her eyes. "So what do we do about her?"

"If Cora knows we're all here, I bet she'll try to get to Regina." Mary Margaret's eyes narrowed. "There's something you need to know about Cora."

Emma stopped walking. "What is it?"

"She is known by another name."

"So?"

"The Queen of Hearts."

"The Queen of…" Emma's eyes widened and she suddenly felt sick. "Is that why I think it is?"

Mary Margaret nodded. "Removing people's hearts is something Cora is well known for. In fact, during her time in Wonderland it was her favourite past time. Well, that and chopping off people's head." She shuddered at the thought. "If she finds out Rumpelstiltskin removed Regina's heart…"

"You think she'll try to get it back?"

"I don't know," Mary Margaret admitted. "But if she does, she'll have a better chance of finding it than we do."

Emma stared at her mother. "Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?!"

"Emma, if the others fail…"

"You really want Cora to get involved in this?"

"She may be our only choice! Even if Merlin can help us, it's still not going to be enough!"

"But bringing Cora into all of this…." Emma shook her head. She'd seen what Cora had done to the villages along their journey. She'd burnt them to the ground as people slept in their beds. The woman didn't have a shred of humanity left in her. "Regina's never going to forgive you."

Mary Margaret's eyes snapped up. "She's never going to forgive me anyway."

"I don't know," Emma answered uncertainly. "I… I'm not sure."

Before Mary Margaret could answer Peter's voice came from the front. "We're here!"

Emma's head snapped up and she left Mary Margaret to catch up with them. The dark haired woman watched her leave and sighed. The thought of using Cora for their own benefit still lingered in her head. She couldn't shake it. Sometimes the wrong thing was also the right thing and sometimes all that they could do was find a balance and hope that it didn't end badly.

Emma reached Peter and Wendy. To her surprise she noticed a small cottage hidden amongst the trees. If Peter and Wendy hadn't pointed it out, she would never have found it. It was camouflaged perfectly with leaves and twigs covering the roof and moss and plants growing up alongside the walls. The only thing that gave away any sign of human life was the small fire that was burning next to what looked like a well. A bucket stood next to the well. The sunlight reflected off the water inside it.

"This is it?" Emma asked, a little underwhelmed. Somehow she'd expected something grand, considering Merlin was supposed to be this great wizard. "_This _is where he lives?"

"Yep," Peter answered. He grinned. "Fair warning, he's a little bit…eccentric."

Emma looked at Mary Margaret. She shrugged and the two of them left Peter and Wendy on the path and made their way through brambles and bushes towards the overgrown cottage. The closer they came the stronger the smell became. Emma pulled up her nose as the pungent smell hit her. It made her stomach turn and when she glanced at Mary Margaret she noticed her mother had gone pale.

"Whatever he's doing in there, it sure doesn't smell like apple pie."

They reached the door and Emma knocked. The smell was really over powering now and she mentally told herself to breathe through her mouth, not her nose. She knocked again when there appeared to be no answer, a little louder this time. Her heart thumped in her chest. Merlin was their only hope and she wasn't going to leave here until they'd spoken to him.

The sound of breaking glass startled them and they instinctively ducked. At that same moment the door opened and a shadow fell over them. Emma peered through her fingers, straight up into the face of an old man with a long white beard and equally long white hair. He wore round glasses. Blue eyes curiously inspected the two visitors, clearly intrigued as to why they were down on their knees. The old man was dressed in what could only be described in rags that had once been blue but now looked ready to be burnt.

"Are you Merlin?" Emma asked as she stood back up.

"Yes," he answered. "Yes, I am. Who wants to know?"

Emma couldn't believe her eyes. Merlin was barely five feet tall. How was it possible that this old man could do the type of magic they needed to save Regina?"

"I'm Emma Swan," she answered. "We've come a long way, sir. We really need your help."

Merlin's gaze shifted from Emma to Mary Margret and his blue eyes lit up. "Snow." He spoke the name softly, as if he was afraid to be wrong. "Snow White."

Mary Margaret looked surprised. "Yes," she answered. "It's me."

"Thank God!" Merlin exclaimed. "I wondered if you'd come back once the Curse was broken." His eyes drifted back to Emma and he began to fit the pieces together. "So if Snow's come back and the Curse is broken then this must be…"

"Too complicated to explain," Emma cut him off. Judging from the way he spoke she guessed he wouldn't be too happy to find out that the person they were trying to help was the same person who had cast the Curse. "We came here because we need your help and we haven't got much time." She glanced back up at the sky. Darkness was only a few hours away.

"Come on in," Merlin said and moved aside so the two women could step into his cottage.

Inside it reeked of dried grass, rotting fruit and a strange hint of herbs. Emma found the smells overwhelming and resisted covering her nose with her sleeves. The cottage was dark and cluttered. Small bottles containing all kinds of strange coloured liquids, bugs, leaves and other bits and pieces stood scattered around. A large cauldron hung over a fire in the corner of the room, simmering away. The smoke that circled up into the air was a strange shape of violet.

"What can I do for you?" Merlin asked as he shuffled through the cottage back to the cauldron and picked up a wooden spoon before stirring the liquid three times anti clockwise. It changed colour from violet to lime green and the smell changed from burning flesh to freshly mown grass on a summer's day.

"Rumpelstiltskin erased the memories of a friend of ours," Mary Margaret said before Emma had a chance to speak. It seemed that she too had noticed Merlin wouldn't be keen on helping Regina so she tried to remain vague. "In fact, he did more than that. He removed her heart as well as her memories."

"I'm afraid I can't help you with the heart," Merlin said. "The only thing that will undo that damage is putting the heart back where it belongs."

"It's not the heart we're here for," Emma interjected. "Blue told us that you are the only one who can make the potion that will help us bring her memories back."

Merlin peered at Emma over the rim of his glasses. "You've come a long way for this friend, Miss Swan."

Emma's cheeks flushed red. "She's more than just a friend," she admitted. "The silver ring created at my birth, the one who only fits the hand of one, fits hers. She is my true love and I will do anything to get her back."

Merlin seemed so grin to himself as he stumbled about the cottahe. He opened a cupboard and various bottles fell out. He rasied his hand and Emma looked on in amazement as the glass just fkoated in the air before finding tjeir rightfull places again. Merlin rummaged around the various shapes and sizes but couldn't find what he was looking for so he moved on to the next cupboard, all the while humming to himself.

"Can you help us?" Emma asked after an agonizing five minutes of watching the old man trip and stumble about.

"Of course I can," Merlin answered, almost sounding a little insulted that Emma had dared to question him. "Anything for the Saviour."

Emma looked at Mary Margaret and silently mouthed, "How did he know who I am?"

"AHA!" Merlin suddenly exclaimed and he pulled a tiny phial from a shelf. He held it between this thumb and index finger as if to inspect to content and held it up against the light. Emma could see the liquid move inside the bottle. It was clear, with a fine hint of blue. Unlike most of the other bottles she saw around her it didn't bubble or smoke.

Merlin crossed the room and held still in front of Emma. "Get her to drink this," he said and reached out a hand. Before Emma could blink he'd pulled out a single hair, pulled the stopper from the bottle and added the blonde strand to the liquid. Emma watched as it slowly dissolved, giving the liquid a silvery glow.

"But beware," Merlin warned. "If the wrong person were to drink this or the liquid gets spilled…"

"She'll be lost forever," Emma finished his sentence.

Merlin slipped the phial into a black satin pouch and gave it to her. Emma took the pouch and carefully let it slide into her pocket. She looked back up at the old wizard and smiled.

"Thank you," she said.

He didn't answer and just saw them to the door. They stepped back outside, surprised and relieved it had been this easy to find what they had been looking for, and started across the clearing back to the trees. But before they could join Wendy and Peter, Merlin's voice called them back.

"Snow, whatever you do, leave Cora out of this!"

Mary Margaret spun around in shock, stunned that the old wizard knew what she and Emma had been talking about. Her eyes widened but he just looked at her intently. "What?!"

"Cora is only going to do more harm than good," Merlin answered. "If you allow her into this, I can't promise you that you'll live to tell the tale."

"I understand," Mary Margaret said and glanced at Emma just as her daughter double checked the phial was still in the pouch.

She watched how Emma held the potion up against the sunlight and a nervous feeling welled up in the pit of her stomach. They were going to use magic. Merlin's words about Cora weren't meant as a message. They were meant as a warning. She looked back at the old wizard and found him watching her.

"Magic _always _comes at a price."

* * *

**Let me hear your thoughts, folks!**


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

Peter and Wendy led them back to the beach and as they walked over the sand Emma looked at the ocean ahead of them. When they arrived in Neverland they'd had Ariel's help to get them through the portal but now they were alone. She shuddered at the realisation that she had almost run out of air as they tried to get through. She was only alive because Ariel had breathed air into her. She nervously looked at Mary Margaret and could tell from the look on her face that her mother was thinking the same.

"How are we ever going to get through to the Enchanted Forest?" Mary Margaret voiced their concerns and looked at Peter and Wendy. "We needed the mermaids to get us here. We need help going back."

"There are no mermaids here," Peter answered. "There haven't been any since Hook attacked and killed one of them." He turned and pointed at a rock formation at the other side of the island. "They used to play around in the shallow waters down there but nobody's seen them for a long time."

Emma swallowed hard and her hand protectively covered her pouch containing the potion. "If we're trying to do this on our own, we'll drown."

Wendy ran her fingers through her hair. "There has to be another way."

Peter's eyes lit up. "Magic!"

"What?" Mary Margaret asked. "What do you mean?"

"The same magic that makes us fly," Peter explained and he jumped up into the air before doing a summersault and whizzing around Emma's head. His feet touched down in the sand again and he grinned. "You didn't think we can do this without help, do you?"

"No," she answered, her voice uncertain. "I guess not."

Peter brought two fingers up to his lips and a loud, high pitched whistle carried on across the island. He then glanced at Wendy who seemed to understand what it was he was going but Emma and Mary Margaret looked on with great curiosity. Minutes began to pass but eventually something happened and Emma's ears picked up what almost sounded like a delicate musical melody, sung by the softest and purest of voices. She looked around but couldn't see where the sound was coming from.

"There she is!" Wendy exclaimed unexpectedly and four sets of eyes lingered on a small moving glowing dot near a large pink coloured flower. The dot slowly moved towards them, carried by the wind.

Emma narrowed her eyes and realised with a shock that inside the glowing dot she recognised the shape of a tiny human being. Two small arms and legs were attached to a body not much bigger than Emma's index finger. To her shock she realised it was a girl, wearing a green dress that appeared to have been cut from a leaf and with blonde hair. Fine wins, spun from the purest gold, moved slowly as she floated towards them and eventually landed in Pete's open palm.

"Snow and Emma, I'd like you to meet Tinkerbell," he said with a grin from ear to ear.

"Of course," Emma breathed and looked at Mary Margaret. Suddenly it made sense. "Fairy dust."

"Tink, we need your help," Peter explained and the tiny girl turned around so she could look at them. "Emma and Snow White need to get back through the portal but they can't hold their breath long enough to do it. It is really important that they get back safely. Can you help them?"

Tinkerbell nodded but didn't speak. She just jumped up into the air and whizzed over to Emma before hovering over her right shoulder. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, like a four year old pretending they were going to sleep, and when she opened them she spread her hands and fine gold coloured powder rained down on Emma's head and shoulders. She curiously reached out a hand to touch it and brought it up to her face. It was so fine it almost seemed to melt on her fingertips.

Tinkerbell moved on to Mary Margaret and repeated what she had done to Emma. A fine layer of golden dust covered the dark haired woman's head, leaving her to glisten in the afternoon sun. Once she was done Tinkerbell flew back to Peter and landed on his shoulder. He leant in as she spoke into his ear. Emma couldn't hear her voice but it seemed Peter could understand her perfectly.

"She said that this will allow you to breathe under water," Peter explained. He glanced at the little fairy and she eagerly nodded, her blue eyes wide with happiness. "Tinkerbell says this will keep you as safe as a mermaid's kiss."

Emma looked up in surprise when she heard those words mentioned. She then glanced at Mary Margaret and her mother nodded. It was time to go.

Hesitantly they walked to the shoreline and soon the water was up to their knees. They turned around to say goodbye to Peter and Wendy but to their surprise the beach was empty. They were gone. A few rustling leaves told the quiet story of their departure. Mary Margaret looked back at her daughter and took Emma's hand. The touch was reassuring and Emma wished she didn't have to let go once they were under the water. She chewed the inside of her cheek.

"Should we try this first?" she questioned. "Go under and see if we can actually breathe? I know Tinkerbell's a fairy and everything but I find it hard to believe that her magic allows us to breathe under water."

"Tinkerbell has no reason to lie to us," Mary Margaret answered and waded deeper into the ocean. The water was now up to her waist. "Besides, fairies aren't allowed to. It is their duty to do good, not evil. If she says her magic allows us to breathe then I believe her."

Emma didn't seem convinced but she followed her mother deeper into the water anyway. It wasn't as cld as she had expected it to be. In fact, the water was pleasantly warm and as she looked down she saw a large fish swim past her ankles. It seemed the water closer to the beach wasn't as murky and grubby as the water further. She continued to walk until the water reached almost up to her chin. Her hand covered the pouch with the potion and she looked at Mary Margaret.

"Ready?" her mother asked.

Emma nodded, a hint of insecurity etched across her face. "If this doesn't work, I'm going to kill you."

They both took a deep breath and disappeared under the surface. Emma felt the pressure immediately begin to build inside her head and she forced herself to open her eyes so she could see where she was going. Mary Margaret was just in front of her, swimming in the direction of the faint glowing light. Emma kicked her legs and quickly caught up with her, surprised by just how easy they were moving through the water. Although it was dark, this time she could see the life around them. Fish were looking on in surprise as the two women swam past and a curious turtle even swam along with them.

They were closing in on the portal but Emma recognised the feeling of running out of oxygen. The pressure was mounting in her head and her lungs were pressed against her ribcage. Immediately fear overwhelmed her and she panicked, her eyes turning up towards the surface. It was too far away. She'd never make it and even if she did, she wouldn't be able to hold her breath long enough to get back down to the portal. Her head snapped from left to right, desperate to find Mary Margaret. The fear only increased when she realised she couldn't see her mother.

Emma couldn't hold on any longer and her mouth opened, desperate for air. Bubbles escaped her and water rushed into her body. But to her surprise it came straight back out and she felt herself relax. Oxygen was pumped around her body and she realised that she was actually breathing under water. The rapid pounding of her heart wore off and she quickly kicked her legs a few times to get closer to the portal. She didn't have time to marvel over the fact she was doing the one thing human being weren't designed to do and instead continued to swim as fast as se could. As she approached the portal she recognised her mother's shadow painted against the backdrop and felt relief well up inside her. They'd both made it.

Mary Margaret turned around just before reaching the portal and saw Emma approach. When her daughter caught up she grabbed her hand, remembering how violent and twisted the journey through the portal had been the first time. She couldn't risk one of them not making it through. Their eyes connected and silently they asked each other if they were ready. Then they swam simultaneously towards the rapidly spinning vortex and then let themselves be dragged down into it.

Emma clung to Mary Margaret's hand and had to squeeze her eyes shut. The bright flashing lights and the spinning motions were making her sick. It seemed to go on for a lot longer than it had done when the mermaids had helped to take them through but eventually it slowed down and suddenly it stopped. An immense power threw them out of the portal and back into the water. Emma's hand slipped out of Mary Margaret's but as her eyes snapped open she immediately noticed the water was a lot clearer here. They'd made it back.

Mary Margaret pointed towards the exit of the cave and they swam as fast as they could to reach it. The pressure in Emma's head began to build again and she swam faster to keep up with her mother. They reached the entrance at the same time and swam through the opening into the crystal clear waters behind it. They were surrounded by the most stunning and brightly coloured fish and even under water it seemed that the sun was shining.

Emma took another deep breath but instead of air, water filled her lungs. Panic set in and she frantically kicked her legs in an attempt to reach the surface. She closed her mouth, her lungs and airways now full of water, and the pain was excruciating. Her muscles burnt as she kicked her legs and moved her arms. Every cell in her body ached as she desperately attempted to reach the surface. She could see the sunlight and the blue skies but it was still metres away. With every kick she burnt more energy and her body was beginning to protest against the lack of oxygen it was receiving. Her heart was rapidly pumping the blood around, hammering so fast that she could hear it echo in her ears.

She felt the soft wind on her face as she broke through the surface and desperately inhaled the fresh air. Water poured from her mouth but not all of it left her body. She coughed frantically, her body in agony, and she tried to keep herself afloat. The sunlight was bright but then it slowly began to fade into black.

~()~

Regina stared out of her bedroom window. The castle was quiet. She'd ordered her servants not to make a single sound and they knew better than to disobey the queen. If she wanted silence, she would have it. Her hand covered her chest. She had yet to grow used to the absence of her heart. It left her cold and empty, without feeling. It was as if a great sadness had seeped into the place where her heart used to be.

She'd ordered her guards to look for Rumpelstiltskin but she didn't fully expect them to bring him to her. She knew the Dark One was well trained in hiding from those who wanted to imprison him. He had been captured only once before, not long before the Curse had been cast. Trapped in his cell in the cave he had been helpless but now he was free and he had the whole world at his feet.

Regina had chastised herself over and over for putting her trust in the imp. Now she knew what he was and what he did, she could see what he had done to her ever since she'd been a young woman. He knew she was Cora's daughter, desperate to free herself from her mother's tyranny. He saw her desperation and he used it against her. First he empowered her enough to stand up against her mother but then he used that same power to poison her, turning good into evil. It had been because of him that the Evil Queen was born.

He had removed her heart, the one thing that made a person feel alive. When she'd seen the beating organ in the palm of his head she'd suddenly seen a flash of her mother. She too was famous for removing people's hearts and keeping them safely locked away. It was a trait Regina herself had developed through her early years of reign. There was a room; deep below the castle where she still kept the hearts she had taken. She wished she could bring them back but the dead had no use for their hearts.

She twisted the silver ring around her finger and remembered in a flash the face of the blonde woman who had stood across from her only a day ago. A face so unfamiliar but yet she couldn't shake the feeling that she knew those eyes. Every time she looked down at the ring she was reminded of the moment when they had both touched it. The memory played over and over again in her head.

_A kiss. _

She had kissed the blonde woman, but in a different time and place. Regina's fingers brushed against her lips. She wished she could remember the feeling. She wished she could remember _her_.

~()~

Her eyes fluttered open when she felt soft hands against her cheeks. The warm sunlight caressed her skin and she blinked as the bright light fell into her eyes. She groaned as the sudden bright light was painful and she instantly became aware of how sore her body was. The back of her throat was dry and tasted like salt and she pushed herself up onto her elbows.

To her surprise she was lying on the beach, not too far from the shoreline. Slowly she looked beside her and found Ariel sitting on her knees, fear written across her face. Slowly it subsided and the mermaid's eyes lit up when she realised that Emma was awake.

"Oh thank God," she whispered as she covered her mouth with her hands. "We were afraid we were too late."

Emma frowned. "What happened?"

"You don't remember?" Ariel cocked her head.

"I…" Emma's voice faltered. Fragments of her memories returned but they were blurred and made little sense. She remembered the portal and the lights and her eyes snapped back to Ariel. "The portal…."

"You made it through," Ariel explained. She shifted and as Emma looked she noticed that her legs were changing back to her green tail. The red hair fell down the sides of her face, accenting the cream tones of her skin. Ariel's face betrayed her pain and she looked at Emma with hope flickering in her eyes. "When we found you, you were floating face down in the water."

"I couldn't breathe," Emma whispered. "We'd been able to all the way through on the other side but when we got here…."

"The magic must only have worked in Neverland," Ariel said. "The portal erases all external magic once you go through. Any spell that was placed upon you to get you through safely disappeared when you came through. That's why you couldn't breathe when you got back here. If Alana hadn't seen you reach the surface..." Her voice broke. "We could have been too late."

"Mary Margaret," Emma whispered and she looked around. "Where is she?"

"EMMA!"

Her head snapped around when she recognised her mother's voice and tears welled up in her eyes when he saw her stagger across the beach. She climbed to her feet, a little unsteady, and fell into Mary Margaret's arms when she reached her. They were both soaking wet and covered in sand but they were alive.

"Alana said Ariel found you," Mary Margaret breathed as she brushed wet strands of hair out of Emma's face and kissed her forehead. She held her daughter close, realising how close she had cone to losing her for good. "We made it," she then whispered into her ear. "We did it, Emma."

"Yes, we did," Emma answered with a croaky voice. "We did."

Mary Margaret stepped away from her daughter. "We have to go," she said. "We have to find the others. If they've found Regina's heart then we finally stand a chance to undo what Rumpelstiltskin has done to her." She pointed at the horizon behind them. The first shades of amber and red had started to appear in the sky. "And we'd better do it fast. This day is coming to an end."

Emma turned back to Ariel. The mermaid's tail had disappeared and she now stood on her two human legs, a smile gracing her lips. Emma didn't hesitate and wrapped her arms around her neck. Ariel smelt of a strangely soft mixture of seaweed and flowers. "Thank you," she said as she let go of her. "For everything."

"You're welcome," Ariel answered and smiled. "Now go and safe your true love, Emma and, if you can, come and visit us some time. I'd love to show you our world. The mermaids all know who you are."

Emma turned away and she and Mary Margaret started walking up the beach, back into the direction they had come from earlier that same day. Behind them the sun slowly began to set and another day was coming to an end. Time was starting to run out and if they wanted to get to Regina on time they would have to hurry. As they walked Emma's hand slipped into her pocket and pulled out the pouch with the potion bottle inside. This was going to be her saviour, she thought. This was going to bring back her Regina.

~()~

"Are you sure this is the place?" Ruby asked wearily and looked at David.

"It has to be," he answered. "It is the only place where Gold would go."

"But he's not Gold now," Ruby interjected. "He's Rumpelstiltskin."

"But his heart hasn't changed all that much," said Belle and she looked at David. "I think he's right. This is the place."

"They stood outside the small cemetery and David's hand rested on the rusty gate. The graves were all overgrown and forgotten. Nobody had been here for a very long time. It was the place that time, and people, forgot. Those who lay buried here were not visited by the family who had once loced them. The people that lived in the village just down the road had only recently moved in. They had not yet buried their own dead. The graves belonged to the souls who had died before the Curse was cast. They were from a different time.

David turned to look at Henry. "Stay here," he spoke warningly and his eyes darted to Granny. She nodded. Armed with her crossbow she placed a hand on Henry's shoulder as David, Belle and Ruby stepped through the gate onto the small cemetery.

"What makes you think he would have come back here?" Ruby asked as they carefully made their way through the first row of graves. A shudder crept down her spine.

"Before he met me, there was somebody else Rumpelstiltskin loved," Belle said before David had a chance to answer. She held still by one of the gravestones. The names that had been carved out had been erased by the hands of time. Flowers had been left to die. "He had a child with her. His name was Bealfire. The child's mother was Milah." Belle's voice was soft. "She left Rumpelstiltskin because she couldn't bear the shame of him being a coward after the war. She left Bealfire with him."

"Where did she go?" Ruby asked. She'd never heard the story of Rumpelstiltskin's wife before.

"She met a pirate and fell in love with him," Belle answered. "Together they sailed many different seas. One day she returned to the Enchanted Forrest. By then, Rumpelstiltskin was no longer the coward she remembered. He had become the Dark One and he discovered that the man Milah had left him for was Hook." Belle's voice became softer. "Rumpelstiltskin killed Milah and removed her heart before crushing it in front of Hook's eyes. He destroyed Hook like Hook had destroyed him."

"He killed his own wife?" Ruby covered her mouth with her hand.

Belle nodded. "He knew Hook would grieve over Milah until the day he died. It was what Rumple wanted." As she spoke it was hard to imagine she was talking about the man she had learnt to love. She looked over her shoulder at something in the distance. "The village behind the trees is where Rumple, Milah and Bealfire used to live. Apparently Hook brought her here to be buried so that if her son would ever come look for her, he would know that she came home."

Ruby's eyes darted around the forlorn lookin cemetery. All the graves appeared unloved, as if nobody cared about the dead. "So which grave is hers?"

Belle's eyes fixed on a tomb in the back of the cemetery and her green eyes lit up. "That one."

The trio walked across the cemetery towards the tomb Belle had pointed out. Like the others it looked unkempt but with only one small distance. The grass around it had been walked on and although it had rained, faint boot prints could still be seen in the mud. It wasn't until Belle's gaze dropped to the bronze nameplate that her suspicion were confirmed. _Milah. Loved forever in life as well as death._

"There has to be some way in," David said as he pointed at the boot prints. They disappeared underneath the tomb.

"Maybe if we push?" Belle suggested.

The three of them placed all their weight against the tomb and pushed. Slowly it began to shift, revealing a dark staircase leading into a tunnel. David went down first, followed by Ruby and Belle. The sound of their footsteps echoed off the stone steps and it was so dark they couldn't see a hand in front of their face. Belle had to apologise when she stepped on the back of Ruby's heel.

"Wait," David whispered and a few seconds later he'd struck a match.

In the faint orange glow they could see just about enough to continue their way and eventually reached a small oval shaped room. David struck a second match and lit the lonely candle that stood in a small alcove cut out into the wall. The picked the candle up and waved it around, slowly lighting up their news surroundings. It was Ruby who stepped forward and pointed at something in the middle of the room. On the white marble table stood a small wooden box.

She carefully picked up the box and David held the candle closer as she slowly opened the lid. There, at the bottom, lay a steadily beating heart. Ruby's eyes snapped up to David and he looked back at her in disbelief.

"We found it."

* * *

**Thoughts, people?! I'd love to hear them!**


	25. Chapter 25

I've been away for a few days for a short family holiday but back again now so... here it goes!

* * *

**Chapter 25**

The journey back to Regina's castle seemed endless. Emma had never felt more desperate in her life. Every few minutes her hand would caress the pouch with the potion Merlin gave her and her heart thumped in her chest. She had no idea if David and the others had managed to find Regina's heart or if they had even succeeded in avoiding Rumpelstiltskin. She could only hope that when they got back to the castle they would be there waiting for them.

Mary Margaret cast her daughter a sideways glance and saw the worry flashing across her face. She hurt for her. She remembered what it was like to be separated from her true love and the anguish is caused. Although she struggled with the idea that Emma and Regina were destined to be together, what mattered most to her was her daughter's happiness. She would do whatever it took for Emma to be happy.

"We'll get there," she whispered when Emma's hand lowered down to the pouch once again. She covered Emma's hand with her own and squeezed it reassuringly.

"It's going dark," Emma pointed out. Fear flickered in her green eyes. "If we don't get back in time and the others haven't found Regina's heart…"

"We will," Mary Margaret promised. "Don't forget that they have Ruby. I bet she was able to smell Regina's heart and lead them right to it."

She was trying to be optimistic but in reality she had no idea if what she was saying was true. Sure, Ruby's wolf instincts were great but she wasn't sure if she was actually able to smell out somebody's heart. She took a deep breath and looked ahead. They had a few more hours to go before they reached the castle and by then darkness would have fallen.

"What did Merlin say to you just before we left?" Emma asked unexpectedly.

"What?"

"He said something to you before we left Neverland. What was it?"

Mary Margaret sighed. "He warned me not to involve Cora."

Emma stopped in her tracks. "How does he know that's what you were thinking?!"

"It doesn't matter. What matters is that he seems to know that if we do involve her in this, things are only going to get from bad to worse," Mary Margaret replied. She furrowed her brow. "I can't believe I actually considered bringing her into all of this."

Emma's features hardened. "Maybe it's not such a bad idea. Desperate times call for desperate measures."

Mary Margaret's eyes narrowed and she looked at her daughter. "We should wait until we get back to the castle. If the others have succeeded then there won't be any need to involve Cora at all. There's a reason why it's better to let sleeping dogs lay, Emma. Cora is bad news."

"Not too long ago you would have said the same about Regina."

"Regina's different. She's nothing like her mother," Mary Margaret answered and grabbed Emma's arm and started dragging her along. It ended their discussion about Cora Mills. "We've got to keep going. C'mon."

For the next hour they walked almost in silence, speaking only when it was really necessary. Mary Margaret knew what lurked in the woods after dark and although most of it was friendly, there were some creatures, and people, whose paths she'd rather not cross. She picked up every sound, every rustling leave or snapping branch, and quickly identified them as animals or the odd hunter. The closer they came to the village, quieter it became. Animals didn't stray into the villages, knowing that it would be their end.

When they finally reached the top of the hill and looked down into the valley below Emma let her breath escape. They'd reached the village. Fires were burning in pits and behind the odd window a candle light flickered. She looked up and straight ahead and saw the castle on the next hill, overlooking the village and kingdom below. Her heart leapt up in her chest and she looked at Mary Margaret. The silver light of a half-moon illuminated both their faces and she recognised the relief.

"We're here," Emma whispered as they slowly began making their way down the hill and into the village. It was abandoned. Most people had gone to bed. Shadows moved behind windows but there was nobody out on the streets. Somewhere in the distance she heard a sheep bleating.

They crossed the village and reached the next hill. The narrow path that led up to the castle was steep and the mud and grass were slippery. Emma had to use all her strength to make sure she didn't slip back down as they walked their way up. About halfway Mary Margaret stopped her and covered her mouth with her finger. She pointed at two guards patrolling the outside wall.

"How are we going to get past them?" Emma hissed. "They're everywhere!"

Mary Margaret reached for her bow and took her aim. The arrows whizzed through the night and hit the far outside wall of the castle. The sound was dull but enough to attract the attention of most of the soldiers and they ran off into the direction of the sound, disappearing into the darkness. Mary Margaret shot Emma a triumphant look and her daughter just grinned as they continued their path up to the castle.

The sound of a wolf howling sent a shiver down Emma's spine and Mary Margaret froze in her tracks. The howl sounded again and the dark haired woman's eyes lit up.

"It's Ruby!"

"How do you know?" Emma hissed.

"There hasn't been a wolf in this Kingdom since I was a little girl," Mary Margaret explained. "They were all killed when people were afraid of…" She hesitated and shame spread across her face as she remembered the people going out at night armed with pitchforks and torches. "People like Ruby."

"So they're here," Emma whispered.

"She must have seen or smelt us."

"We have to find them!"

"No," Mary Margaret answered and pulled Emma back when she was about to carry on walking. Emma reluctantly turned around and Mary Margaret's fingers slipped off her arm. "We have no idea where they are. Ruby's senses will lead them to us. We should wait."

Mary Margaret led Emma to a large oak tree halfway down the hill. It cast enough shadow for them to remain unseen by the guards when they returned. There they sank down to the ground and Emma pulled her knees up to her chest. All she wanted was to climb over the castle walls and find Regina. It hurt to be this close and yet feel so far away.

"You miss her, don't you?" Mary Margaret guessed her thoughts.

Emma nodded. "I know you don't like it but…"

"Emma, I'm not going to say that it's easy but this is clearly what destiny had planned for you all this time. You were born to be the Saviour but you're not just our Saviour, you're Regina's Saviour too."

Emma chewed the inside of her cheek. "Let's just hope that's true."

They waited for what felt like hours and watched from their hiding spot in the shadows how the guards returned to their posts. Emma counted six of them on this side of the castle alone and that didn't include the ones that surrounded the rest of the structure or the ones standing guard inside. They only stood a chance if they fought together as a group.

She was snapped out of her thoughts when a dark shadow flashed past her. She could have sworn she heard a growl but when she blinked it was gone. She leant forward, moving out of the shadows, and looked how a large creature leapt onto the back of two of the guards. They fell to their knees, let out muffled cry of pain and then stopped moving. Emma's eyes widened as she looked on how the wolf like creature continued to attack the guards that now came running, tossing them around like they were just leaves in the wind.

"Ruby," she whispered and stood up when she heard soft footsteps on the grass behind them.

"David!" Mary Margaret said when she recognised her husband as he appeared from the darkness and she leapt to her feet, locking her arms around his neck.

Belle was a few steps behind him and her eyes found Emma's before she reached into her pocket and took out the box they had found in Milah's tomb. Emma took a few hesitant steps towards her and her breath hitched when Belle opened the lid and she saw the softly beating heart lying inside it. She reached out a tentative hand and her fingers brushed against the pink organ. A bright flash blinded her and she saw Regina's face close to her own, a hint of a smile across her face. The first time they spent the night together in Regina's room at the inn. She could smell the faint hint of Regina's perfume and she dropped her hand back beside her body.

"It's hers," she said softly. "It's Regina's heart."

"Hey," said a voice behind them and they all turned around to see Ruby walk towards them. She put her red hood back on and smirked.

"I think you missed a spot," Mary Margaret said and wiped a drop of blood from Ruby's chin.

"Are they gone?" David asked and Ruby nodded.

"They won't bother us anymore."

"How are we going to do this?" Emma asked. "We need to get the heart back to Regina and she needs to drink the potion Merlin gave us." She reached into her pocket and took out the pouch with the phial. "If we all go inside we risked being noticed."

"We'll stay here," David said and looked at his wife. "Mary Margaret, Ruby and I will keep an eye on the guards outside." His gaze fell on Belle. "You go with Emma. Find Regina, put her heart back in her chest and then get her to drink the potion. If you do it the other way around it won't work. Regina _needs _to have her heart back for her to remember."

Emma glanced over her shoulder at the castle. They would have one shot at this and if they screwed up, Regina would forever be lost.

"You can do this," Mary Margaret encouraged her. Her eyes found her daughter's. "True love can break any curse, remember?"

Emma wanted to believer her but somehow she couldn't. She just nodded and looked at Belle. Together they started for the castle and when they reached the top of the hill they walked around the bleeding bodies of the guards. Large pools of blood had begun to spread across the grass and the mud. A couple of soldiers had their heads missing and Emma felt a shiver creep down their spine when she looked down into a pair of dead, hollow eyes.

"It's late," Belle said as she they snuck their way inside through the now unguarded doors. The corridors were lit with torches, casting eerie shadows across the walls. "Regina will probably have gone to bed."

"Great," Emma muttered. "So all we have to do is find the Queen's bedroom."

"Here, wear this," Belle said and removed the cloak she'd been wearing. When Emma arched an eyebrow she grinned. "The guards will have been told of a blonde woman inside the castle. The least you can do is try to divert the attention."

Emma put on the cloak and pushed her blonde hair under the hood and they started down the corridor. The sound of their footsteps bounced off the walls and Emma cursed the torches that illuminated their path. She'd rather move in the dark, which would give them the advantage if someone came from the other way. She and Belle stayed close to the walls, attempting to move from shadow to shadow but every so often they had no choice but to walk in the light.

"Mary Margaret gave me a basic lay out of the castle," Emma whispered when they reached a large marble staircase. Her hand brushed across the railing and the stone felt cold against her skin. "Regina's bedroom is in the West Tower which can only be reached via this staircase."

They climbed their way up the stairs and reached the floor above. It looked identical to the one they had just come from but there were less torches here and Emma sighed in relief. She turned to Belle and managed to see the outline of the other woman's face. Curiosity got the better off her. "Why are you doing this?" she wanted to know. "Why are you helping us and not him?"

Bella looked up. "Because I want him to remember the man he was, the man he can be again. He wasn't always the Dark One. I know that the good part of him is still in there somewhere."

"Why did he do this to Regina? She had nothing to do with what happened to Milah."

"But she's the one who cast the Curse, even if he made it and when she did she broke her promise to him so he tricked her by adding the part where a Saviour could break the Curse," Belle answered. "Rumple and Regina have been trying to outdo each other ever since. He wanted the Evil Queen back but there was only one way that he could do that." Belle's eyes found Emma's. "By erasing you."

Emma swallowed hard. "Maybe if we get Regina back, we can bring him back too."

"I hope so," Belle answered softly. "I really do."

"We err…we should probably get going," Emma said softly and she peered down the corridor to see if it was clear. It surprised her that they hadn't encountered a single guard yet.

"It's quiet, isn't it?" Belle said, like she'd read her thoughts.

"Too quiet," Emma replied. "I don't know how many men Ruby killed but surely she didn't get them all?"

"Maybe they're out there looking for her?"

Emma didn't answer. They had reached the end of the corridor and after passing through an archway they were now faced with a heavy wooden door. Her heart hammered in her chest as she reached out and grabbed a firm hold of the metal door handle. She closed her eyes and then pulled the door open as quietly as she could. It creaked and she flinched, holding her breath. She expected to hear Regina but was greeted with silence and she carefully looked around the door. They were in the right place.

The large four poster bed stood against the wall furthest away from her. Candles had been placed around the room and the small flames lit up the room. A dressing table and large mirror took up most of the wall to her right and there was a large window to her left. Emma carefully entered the room and glanced out of the window. She noticed that it looked out over the oak tree where she and Mary Margaret had been hiding. She squinted but didn't see them in the shadows. She tore her eyes away from the window and her gaze fixed on the bed. Regina was asleep

She lay on her side, with a strand of dark hair falling across her eyes. Her chest rose and fell softly and Emma was touched by the softness of her features. Now that she slept any darkness had been erased from Regina's face. She looked pure, almost fragile, and she had to resist reaching out and touching her. She turned to look at Belle. The brunette stood behind her and held the box with Regina's heart. Her eyes found Emma's.

"Do you know how to do it?" she whispered and the blonde shook her head. Belle reached into the box and picked up the heart. The pink glow filled the room and lit up her face. "You take it and just push it back into her chest."

"Have you ever done it before?" Emma hissed but Belle shook her head.

"I've seen it done many times though."

Emma looked from Regina to the beating heart. "I don't know if I can do this."

"You have to," Belle encouraged her.

She took Emma's hand and placed Regina's heart inside it. Emma watched as it beat slowly. She was holding Regina's heart in her hands, felt it beat against her fingers. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at the dark haired woman asleep in the bed. Her own heart hammered against her ribcage as she slowly moved closer to the bed. The sound of her boots scraping across the wooden floor made her flinch and she froze. Regina stirred but didn't wake.

"Do it!" Belle hissed from the other side of the bed. "Before she wakes up!"

"I think she'll wake up when I push my hand into her chest, don't you?" Emma retorted.

Her hand hovered over Regina's chest and she focused on the area around her left breast, slowly coming closer until her hand almost made contact with Regina's body. She closed her eyes, pulled back and then suddenly slammed forward. Her eyes snapped open at the same time Regina's did and she felt her hand slide smoothly through Regina's body and into her chest. Her fingers still clutched the heart and its rhythm increased as it recognised the body it belonged with. She let go and felt it slip from her fingers. Her eyes then found Regina's and the dark haired woman stared up at her. First anger but then fear flashed across her face.

Emma was about to reach out and touch Regina's cheek when she felt a hand on her shoulder and was forcibly turned around. She looked straight into the face of Rumpelstiltskin. "I think that's quite enough, dearie."

He threw her across the room like she was nothing but a feather and Emma's head hit the wall. The world changed into a blur but she scrambled back to her feet. She looked around for Belle but didn't see the brunette in the room. Her head was spinning and throbbing but she managed to focus on the bed. Regina had slipped out from under the sheets and was now standing next to the bed, her eyes darting from Rumpelstiltskin to Emma and back.

Emma saw Rumplestislkin round the bed and trap Regina between himself and the wall. He slowly reached out his arm and his fingers brushed against Regina's chest.

"NO!" Emma cried out and she extended both her hands.

Without really knowing what was happening she released a bolt of energy that erupted from the tips of her fingers and shot across the room, hitting the imp in the back. He turned around in surprise, a devilish grin spreading across his face.

"Well, well, well," he cooed, "looks like the Saviour can do magic."

"Stay away from her," Emma hissed. She felt the blood trickle from the cut on her forehead down. It had reached her lips and she could taste it on her tongue. The adrenaline pumping around her veins somehow numbed the pain. "Or I swear I'll rip you into so many pieces they can bury you in every single Kingdom across these lands."

Rumpelstiltskin cocked his head. "And what exactly do you plan to do to stop me?"

Emma smirked. "True love breaks every spell, remember?"

What followed was an eruption of magic that left the walls of the castle shaking. Somewhere in the distance someone cried and Emma could have sworn it sounded like Belle but the sound was quickly followed up by the sound of walls crumbling. She shielded her head with her arms at the ceiling over her head began to fall. Large pieces of stone fell to the floor and she ducked out of the way just in time to avoid a piece that could easily have killed her. Dust filled the room.

She fell when more pieces of stone rained down on her and cried out when she felt something wet run along her leg. It was cold and when she looked she noticed the faint silver glimmer against the stone. The phial containing the potion had broken. Her hope of saving Regina was gone.

"No," she groaned as she scrambled onto her knees. "No, no, no!"

She looked up to see a dark shadow move across the room and then stop. Rumpelstiltskin kneeled down beside an unconscious Regina and his fingers hovered over her chest. Blood clung to the Queen's dust stained face and Emma felt the anger roar in her chest. She leapt to her feet and the energy began building up inside of her. It burst out with such force it knocked her backwards but she saw it hit Rumpelstiltskin with such force that he was thrown across the room and disappeared into a cloud of dust.

Emma rushed to Regina's side and fell down beside her. Softly she brushed the hair out of her face and looked down to see how tired dark brown eyes opened.

"I'm sorry," she whispered through her tears. Her hand covered Regina's. "I tried. I tried to save you but I lost."

She leant in and brushed her lips against Regina's. The kiss was soft and sweet and her teardrops landed against Regina's cheek. She shivered when she felt the other woman's hand against the back of her neck and slowly pulled away.

"No," Regina whispered. Her voice was rough. "You saved me."

Emma reached into her pocket and took out the pouch. It was wet. She could feel the broken shards of glass inside and carefully took them out. The pieces lay in the palm of her hand and she showed them to Regina. "I did what I could," she whispered. "I tried to…"

Her voice was cut off when something pierced her shoulder and she cried out in agony. She rolled onto her side and saw Rumpelstiltskin standing behind her, his dagger raised over his head. The broken shards of glass and the pouch slipped from her fingers as she moved away from him. Blood gushed from the wound on her shoulder and the pain was horrific. Even in the dark, dust filled room Emma could see the evil glint in the imp's eye. She knew he was here to kill her. He was here to finally achieve what he'd been longing for. He had broken Regina and he had broken her. She lifted up her chin with pride and looked him in the eye.

"I'm not afraid to die," she said. "I lost Regina. You won. But I won't beg for my life. You'll _never_ get that pleasure!"

He slowly came at her, the dagger raised above his head. She didn't close her eyes. If she was going to die then she would look death in the eye. She wanted him to see her eyes before he killed her, she wanted him to remember for the rest of his life what he had done. How his own greed, his own cowardice, had gotten the better of him and turned a man into a monster.

The purple flash stunned both of them and Emma watched how the dagger slowly slipped from Rumpelstiltskin's fingers. The sound of the blade landing on the floor cut through the moment of stunned silence. Then he spun around and as he did Emma saw Regina behind him. Blood trickled from her lip but her dark eyes were blazing. She'd raised both her hands and held a ball of fire in each palm. The flames lit up her face.

"I remember," she said darkly and shot the first fireball at Rumpelstiltskin. She missed and he responded with his own ball of magic. She easily stepped out of his way. "I remember."

Emma crawled across the floor and grabbed the blade. The Dark One's dagger. She turned it and noticed Rumpelstiltskin engraved into the handle. It was a beautiful piece of craftsmanship but she also knew it was the most dangerous weapon out there. Her fingers closed around the handle and she staggered back to her feet. Her gaze fixed on Regina and Rumpelstiltskin who were now circling each other like a predator circled its prey. He moved before she did and the magic hit her on her arm, bringing her down to her knees with a cry of pain.

"Coward!" Emma shouted and he spun around at the sound of her voice.

The glint in his yellow eyes disappeared when he saw the blade raised above her head. He didn't have time to blink before the dagger cut through the fabric of his robes, sliced through his flesh and chipped his ribs before piercing his steadily beating heart. The rhythm instantly slowed and his eyes widened as he staggered backwards. The blade slipped form Emma's hands and fell back down to the floor, stained with the blood from the Dark One. He died at her feet.

Emma ran over to Regina and carefully wrapped her up in her arms. The dark haired woman slowly opened her eyes and looked up at Emma.

"You did it," she said weakly.

"How?" Emma breathed. "The phial was broken. The potion was gone."

"Not all of it," Regina whispered. "A drop remained on one of the shards. A drop was all it took."

Tears welled up in Emma's eyes. "Oh Regina…" She let her fingers ghost across Regina's cheek and kissed her forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too," Regina breathed and Emma slowly helped her to sit up. She never let Regina's hand slip out of her own. "I love you because you loved me when I couldn't love myself."

Emma smiled through her tears and her gaze drifted across the room, coming to a rest on the lifeless body of Rumpelstiltskin. The dagger lay not far away from him and she carefully reached out abd picked it up. Slowly she turned it over and noticed that the handle no longer had Rumpelstiltskin engraved into it.

"Whoever kills the Dark One gains all his power," Regina said softly as she watched Emma turn the dagger over in her hand. "Their name appears…"

Emma showed her the blade. There was no name. It was empty. "There's nothing here."

"What?" Regina whispered. "But that's…."

Emma put the dagger back down and stood up. She reached out a hand and helped Regina to her feet. She wrapped her arms around her lover and pressed her tightly against her chest. Regina's arms snaked around Emma' waist and she finally relaxed. Their hearts seemed to beat in unison and Emma kissed Regina's hair.

"It's the end of the Dark One," she whispered. "Now everyone' s free."

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**Thoughts? I'd love to hear them!**


	26. Chapter 26

It took me forever to get this going. Somehow my muse decided to abandon me. I drowned myself in fan videos for a whole day and finally managed to produce this. Enjoy.

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**Chapter 26**

Emma led Regina out of the castle. Most of it lay in ruins. It appeared the magic had extended itself way beyond the bedroom. Walls and ceilings had crumbled. Debris and dust filled the corridors. The torches had gone out, shrouding the castle in absolute darkness. Emma grabbed a firmer hold of Regina's hand. She wasn't going to lose her in the shadows after having almost lost her to Rumpelstiltskin.

"Where's Belle?" she whispered after they turned a corner and froze.

"Belle?" Regina asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise. Dark eyes searched Emma's face. "Belle is here?"

"She was right behind me when…" Emma's voice faded as she tried to remember what had happened inside Regina's bedroom. "She was there when I held your heart but then… There was Rumpelstiltskin and she was gone. I think I heard her during the fight but I didn't see her."

"Rumpelstiltskin loved Belle. She's perhaps the only person he loved," Regina said. "Could he have taken her?"

"I suppose," Emma sighed and ran her hand across her face. She was covered in soot and dust. She turned to look at Regina. She still couldn't believe she had her back. She was looking at tge woman she had gotten to know and learnt to love. Those same dark brown eyes that had looked at her the night they had first kissed now looked back at her. "I don't know."

A low grumbling noise alarmed them both and Regina grabbed Emma's arm as another cloud of dust blew into the corridor. "We've gotta go," she managed to bring out as the dirt and rubble found a way into her lungs. She coughed as oxygen became harder to find. She dragged the blonde across the corridor towards one of the windows and looked out.

"Are you out of your mind?!" Emma cried when she realised Regina was about to jump. She pulled her back. "That's a fifty feet drop. We'd never make it!"

"Yes, we will," Regina countered and pulled Emma towards her.

Behind them one of the walls crumbled and the overpowering sound of it collapsing overwhelmed them. The sheer force of the wall coming down pushed them out of the window and into the cool evening air. Emma felt her feet lose contact with solid ground and both her arms wrapped securely around Regina's waist. She squeezed her eyes shut as the wind whipped around her face and prepared herself for the sickening impact that would surely follow.

When it didn't come, Emma opened her eyes and looked around in surprise. They were standing on the grassy hill outside the castle. The burning continued to crumble behind them and as she turned around to look at it she watched one of the walls cave in completely. Dust and smoke filled the air and Emma gasped quietly. When she felt Regina's arm around her shoulders she looked beside her. The dark haired woman was smiling.

"Told you we'd make it," she said knowingly.

The corners of Emma's lips mouth curled up. "Almost as if by magic."

"EMMA!"

The sound of Mary Margaret's voice cut through the darkness of the night and Emma spun around. She watched her mother run up the holl towards them, followed by David and Ruby. There was panic and fear etched across their faces but it subsided now that they saw Emma and Regina. Emma's eyes darted from her mother to her father and then to Ruby.

"Where's Belle?"

"She's not with you?" Mary Margaret asked and her eyes flashed to the now destroyed castle. One of me the walls and the West Tower had collapsed completely. Faint screams could be heard from inside the building as those who had survived tried to scramble their way out. Shadows moved through the night. People were trying to get out. Small fires had started across the castle. "Where is she?"

"She was with me but then Rumpelstiltskin appeared and she vanished!" Emma answered and looked around in despair. "He must have something to do with it."

"We've got to find her."

"What if she knows Rumpelstiltskin is dead?" Regina deadpanned and everyone looked up. Every set of eyes other than Emma's fixed on her.

Mary Margaret blinked. "Rumpelstiltskin is dead?"

"I killed him." Emma's voice was soft and she looked down at her hand linked with Regina's. She hadn't thought about his death until now. It had happened so fast and had been part of the whole picture that not until it was singled out now she realised what the impact of his death really was. She had killed someone, taken someone's life away. She swallowed hard as the burden settled on her shoulders. "The Dark One is no more."

"You killed the Dark One?" David asked and Emma nodded. The fear in her father's voice was unmistakable. "Emma, do you know what this means? Whoever kills the Dark One has to take his place!"

"No name appeared on the dagger," Emma answered. "The cycle has been broken."

"How?" Ruby asked. Disbelief flickered in her eyes. Her dark hair had fallen in her eyes. "How did that happen?"

"Emma only possesses White Magic," Regina answered before the blonde could. Emma gave her a sideways glance, surprised to hear Regina talk about the reasons why the dagger didn't take her name. "Unlike others who have killed for the powers of the Dark One, she had nothing to gain. She didn't need the power nor did she want it."

"So it's over?" David asked. "Rumpelstiltskin is dead?"

Emma nodded. "Yes."

"We need to find Belle," Mary Margaret said as she looked back at the castle. "We can't leave her here."

"I need to see Henry," Regina said softly and looked at Emma. "I need to see my son." She paused and smiled weakly before squeezing Emma's hand. "Our son."

"I'll take you to him," Ruby said. "David and Snow look for Belle. I'll come back later, bring some of the others to help with the search." Her green eyes connected with Mary Margaret's. "This journey has gone on long enough for everyone. It's time for us to start thinking about how we're going home. You look for Belle and I'll get them to Henry."

They went their separate ways and Emma and Regina, their hands still linked, followed Ruby through the darkness. The young woman found her way effortlessly, relying on her wolf scents. Behind them the screaming voices grew more distant and the smell of smoke faded the further they walked into the woods. The flames that had erupted from the building illuminated the night sky. The castle was on fire. Soon there would be little left.

They eventually reached the clearing in the woods and Emma recognised the small house where she and Mary Margaret had left from only a day or so earlier. Her heart hammered against her ribcage when Ruby knocked on the door. It opened almost immediately and she recognised Archie. His face lit up when he looked past Ruby and saw Emma. The door opened further and Henry sprinted past him out into the night.

Emma's eyes welled up with tears when her son's arms wrapped around her waist as well as Regina's. He pressed himself against them and Emma's eyes fluttered shut when his familiar scent filled her nose. Quiet tears trickled down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around her son. Regina dropped down to her knees, her emotions getting the better of her, and hugged Henry as tightly as she could. He cried and so did she. She softly kissed his head, sniffed his clothes, and ruffled his hair. He was her son, he was Emma's son. He was their son. They were a family. They would be one, regardless of what happened next.

"I've missed you," she whispered into his ear. "Oh Henry, I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too, mom," he answered through his tears. He then looked up. Two sets of eyes, one brown and one green, met his. "Both of you."

When they eventually let go of their son, Emma and Regina were pushed into the small cottage by Ruby and Henry. Archie closed the door behind them and Emma noticed how he bolted it behind them. It seemed that whatever was out there, they were really trying to keep it out. Conversations in the cottage silenced as they walked in.

It only lasted for a few moments. Before Emma could blink there were arms around her neck, waist an legs. Someone kissed her. She realised that it was Granny. When she looked beside her she noticed the older woman kissed Regina too. The dark haired mayor seemed a little sheepish but accepted the welcome. Emma looked on as the wall Regina had built around herself came down and watched as the darkness in her eyes began to fade. What returned in its place was a warm shade of coffee, reflecting all the light in the room. When Regina smiled, Emma felt her heart smile too.

"Where's everyone else?" Granny wanted to know as she led Emma and Regina to the robust wooden table on the other side of the room and gestured for them to sit down.

"They're looking for Belle," Emma answered. She turned around as Regina slipped into her seat. She wanted to see everyone's face as she told them the news. "Rumpelstiltskin is dead."

"What?!" Leroy shouted. "Dead?!"

Emma nodded. "By his own dagger. The Dark One is no more. There never will be another."

There was a silence. For a few moments everyone was transported back to the times in Storybrooke where they had crossed paths with Gold one way or another, or the times in the Enchanted Forest where had had appeared into their lives only to change it in a way they could never have imagined. There were memories, not many of them were good, but they were memories and they needed to find a place somehow. The silence wasn't to honour the dead. It was to honour the change.

Emma quietly slipped into the seat next to Regina and covered the brunette's hand with her own. A perfect fit, a perfect touch. Their eyes found each other and their gazes told a story not a thousand words could tell. Emma smiled and her heart started to glow when Regina answered her smile. They were different people now. They had changed. They would never again be who they were.

Minutes passed and the conversations in the room picked up again. People talked, laughed and some even sang and raised their glasses in joy. Emma and Regina looked on from their seat at the table, too tired to join them. After what felt like hours there was another knock on the door. Archie answered and seconds later Mary Margaret and David walked in followed by Ruby. After bringing Emma and Regina home she'd gone out again to help them find Belle. A couple of dwarves had joined them. Now everyone returned and Emma looked up just as Belle walked through the door. Across the room their eyes met and Emma knew that Belle knew.

"We had to tell her," Mary Margaret said when she reached Emma and sat down next to her. "We found her in another part of the castle, the one part that wasn't damaged. The door was locked. You were right. Rumpelstiltskin did have something to do with it. He saved her."

Emma's eyes flashed back to Belle. She looked sad, lost and broken. Not too long ago she had been exactly where she was. The difference was that Belle would never get to see the person she loved again. Belle was also the only person who knew what it felt like to love someone everybody else hated. She averted her gaze, swallowed hard and stared down at her hand still covering Regina's. She hadn't been able to pull it away.

"I wish things had gone differently."

"I think she knows that this couldn't go on forever, Emma. Rumpelstiltskin's power over people had to end eventually. He met his match. Today the good side won."

"Tell that to the girl whose heart was broken."

"It will heal, Emma," Mary Margaret said softly as she sat down beside her daughter. "In time."

"Speaking of time," David interjected as he leant over the table. "We need to talk about what we want to do next."

"You mean go back to Storybrooke?" Regina asked.

"That's one option, yes."

"Is there a way?" Emma wanted to know. "Gold sent us here. Now that he's dead, there's no way for us to go back."

"There may be one," said a voice behind them and they looked up. Blue hovered in mid-air, her face illuminated by the candle light. "If we can get to Lake Nostos, we may be able to bring back the one thing Gold never wanted us to have." She reached into the pocket of her dress and took out something that looked like a dried piece of fruit.

"A magic bean," Regina whispered and her eyes widened. "Where did you get it? I was told all the beans had been destroyed."

"It's true," Blue answered. "All but one. This one remains. Within it's dried out shell there is still magic strong enough to open a portal but we have to bring it back to life first."

"Why Lake Nostos?" Emma asked.

"The water is said to have healing powers," Blue answered. There was hope in her voice. The same hope she had expressed when she brought Emma and Mary Margaret to the mermaids. "It can cure anything and brings back magic to enchanted items that have lost their power."

"It gives back what was lost." It began to dawn on Emma and she looked at Regina. "Lake Nostos_ is_ the portal to Storybrooke!"

"What?" David asked in surprise. "What do you mean?!"

"Remember the legend about the well in the forest?" Emma asked. "Everyone always said that it had the power to bring back things that were lost. Gold used it to bring magic to Storybrooke and when I dropped my ring in the water, it came back too. Because I had lost it, I had lost my true love." Her gaze was drawn to Regina's hand. The ring sat perfectly around her finger. "The curse transported everyone to Storybrooke, creating a whole new world inside an already existing one. But there had to be a door somewhere and the person who created the curse knew!"

Regina looked up. "I didn't know."

"You cast the curse, you didn't create it," Emma reminded her. "Gold did. He knew what that well was capable off, what it really was. That's why he went there to release the magic. He knew the water belongs to Lake Nostos. The bean doesn't need Lake Nostos to work; the Lake needs the bean to become the portal. It's already there, it just needs to open!"

"Gold said Storybrooke is gone," Ruby said solemnly. "It's been destroyed."

"Regina also thought the Enchanted Forest was destroyed after the Curse," Mary Margaret said quickly. "She was wrong. He could be too."

"We won't know until we get there," Emma said softly and she stared down at the surface of the table. Suddenly she couldn't look anyone in the eye. She knew where this would lead, what would come next. She wasn't sure if she was willing to face it. "It's the only way we'll know for sure."

"And if it's gone?" Mary Margaret wanted to know. "Emma, we won't know if the portal will remain open like the one between the Forest and Neverland. If you get Storybrooke and it's been destroyed, there may not be a way back for you."

"Emma, if you go back and the portal closes, you may never be able to come back here."

Mary Margaret's voice was constricted with tears. She looked at her daughter. In recent days she had seen so much of herself in Emma. She had recognised the devotion and the determination and her ability to love someone unconditionally. She had missed her daughter's entire life but she felt like she had gotten to know her just in a few days' time. When she looked at Emma, she saw herself.

Emma glanced at Regina through her eyelashes. In a different time, before they were sent back to these lands, they had talked about leaving. Only by leaving Storybrooke could they truly start over. But things had changed since then. They ended up in this world and their paths had been changed but she needed to know if their first decision, the choice they made to walk away, was still there. When she met Regina's gaze she recognised the look in her eyes and she knew. Regina had made up her mind.

"I know," she admitted softly and she swallowed the lump in her throat away. She took a ragged breath and looked up at Mary Margaret. "Do you remember when you first talked about going back here? You wanted to leave Storybrooke and go back to where you came from, the land that you knew?"

Mary Margaret nodded. "I remember."

"I never belonged here," Emma said through her tears. "I was born here but this is not my life." She looked at Regina's hand, the ring around her finger. "This is not our life."

"Here we will always be the Saviour and the Evil Queen. Nothing is ever going to change that. But out there, in the other world, we are just Emma and Regina." Her voice broke as more tears flooded down her cheeks. "I never knew who Emma was. I wondered all my life about where I came from. Now I know. And I know who the Saviour is and I know what her life is like. But I still don't know who Emma is, what her life will be. The Saviour is no longer needed in this world but I still need to be Emma."

"Oh Emma…"

"I have to go back," Emma said softly and stood up so she could wrap her arms around her mother's neck. David joined them and he held his wife and daughter tight. "I have to find Emma and discover who she is. She can have a different life now. She's no longer alone and she will never be alone again."

"Okay," Mary Margaret said as she kissed her daughter's forehead. Her eyes drifted around the room. "We'll start tomorrow but tonight we can be a family." Her voice shook as she looked at Regina and their gazes locked. "All of us."


	27. Chapter 27

**Note: **Well, this is it. The last chapter of this Swan Queen story. I hope you've all enjoyed it. Thanks for the awesome reviews, follows, favourites, messages and stuff on Tumblr. You guys rock!

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**Chapter 27**

They talked for hours. They shared stories of a time long ago, of a time long before she was born. The magic in their word and the adventures that had been their lives brought smiles to their faces whilst at the same time still reminding them of what they had lost. Emma heard the stories of her parents and their friends. She listened to Regina as she told everyone the story of herself as a child, showing them all she hadn't always been the Evil Queen. They sat around the small fire flickering in the fire place with blankets draped around their shoulders. Henry fell asleep in David's arms only a few hours before dawn broke. Watching his sleeping form reminded Emma why she couldn't stay in the Enchanted Forest. He was her son, he was Regina's son. He deserved to live in a world where he needn't fear ogres and witches and could grow up to be a man everyone could be proud of. If he wanted to become a knight one day she would allow him to find the Enchanted Forest but right now, more than anything, she just wanted him to be a little boy.

The sun was climbing over the horizon, painting the skies in shades of amber and gold, and Emma watched through the small cottage window how darkness was once again chased from the world. She released the breath she'd been holding when she felt Regina's arms slide around her waist and turned her head to kiss the dark haired woman on her cheek. Regina draped the blanket that had been lying around her shoulders over Emma's as well and held her.

"I know what you're thinking," she whispered into blonde curls. "You don't have to stay here for me."

"Are you sure?" Emma asked softly. "This is where you grew up, where you were born."

"It's not where I choose to stay," Regina replied and her hands covered Emma's. They both felt the silver of Regina's ring. "This world isn't where I belong anymore, Emma."

"Do you think it will work? Lake Nostos?"

"I have to believe it will. It's our only chance."

They stood silently for a few more minutes, unaware that from across the room someone was watching them. Mary Margaret sat by the fire, her knees pulled up to her chest. Her eyes were fixed on Emma and Regina and she only looked up when she felt David's hand on her shoulder. He smiled when he noticed the distant look in her eyes and sat down beside her, pulling her close.

"She really loves Regina, doesn't she?" Mary Margaret said quietly and David nodded.

"Yes, she does. And she's willing to give up everything to be with her. If that doesn't tell us how much she loves her then I don't know what does."

"I never thought this would happen," Mary Margaret sighed. "I always thought we'd be this happy family. You, me and Emma. What Regina did all those years ago changed everything but look at it now… It seemed that it was somehow meant to be. Why else would Emma have the ring that was meant for Regina? Only destiny makes a choice like that, David. Our daughter was meant to love the Evil Queen."

"Maybe Emma was meant to be the one to show Regina who she used to be," David suggested and Mary Margaret looked up. "The Regina you remember."

"Can we really lose her again, David?" Tears glistened in Mary Margaret's eyes. "She and Regina are not staying here. I know she isn't telling us with certainty but I know it." She looked up at her husband. "We lost her once. Can we really do this again?"

"She'll never really be gone," David reminded her. "If we stay here we can grow beans again. We can open as many portals as we like. Henry came come visit during the summer holidays if he wants."

"David, you do realise that if they leave Storybrooke, Regina will lose her memory? She won't remember us. She won't remember any of us exist. She'll only remember who we used to be in Storybrooke." Mary Margaret looked back at Regina and Emma. Regina's head rested on Emma's shoulder and they were watching the sunrise together. "Regina wants to forget who she was."

Mary Margaret was about to answer when across the room Emma and Regina turned around. The sun had risen high above the horizon and daylight fell into the room. What she saw etched across her daughter's face only confirmed what she had just said to David. Emma was ready to find Lake Nostos. She wanted to go back to Storybrooke, to whatever was left beyond this world, and find a life out there with Regina.

"We should go," Emma said softly as she looked around the room. "There's a lot that needs to be done."

That not everyone would come with them to Lake Nostos was something she'd thought about but the saying goodbye was harder than she could ever have imagined. Granny, Archie, Leroy and the others would continue working on a place for everyone to live and set out from. This cottage would be their home base for a little while until they found their way around these lands, rebuilding what had been destroyed. It would take time but they believed that one day they'd make it.

Saying goodbye to her friends, the people she had grown to love, almost broke Emma's heart. The softly whispered wishes of good luck she took with her, keeping them closely in her heart. She wiped away their tears as well as her own and she promised that, one way or another, they would see each other again someday because that's what families do; they wait for each other and they find each other. Somehow they always find their way home.

Emma, Regina and Henry eventually left the small cottage accompanied by Mary Margaret, David and Ruby. Much to Emma's surprise Belle joined them too and when people looked at her in surprise, her answer numbed them all.

"I loved him. Now he's gone. I am no longer Belle." She lifted up her head in an attempt to look stronger than she felt. "I don't know who I will become but I do not belong here anymore."

Emma felt sorry for her. It was because of her that Belle felt she had to leave but when she tried to speak, the girl blanked her and walked ahead into the sunset. Emma sighed and looked at Regina, whose hand now rested on her arm.

"You can't save them all," Regina whispered and she brushed a blonde curl behind Emma's ear. "Sometimes you have to let go."

Emma reluctantly nodded but as they walked her eyes would every so often drift back to Belle. The burden she felt resting on her shoulders over taking away the person Belle loved most was heavy. She remembered the fear when she lost Regina and to see that same fear and hurt now in Belle's eyes made that she felt guilty. It didn't matter how many times Regina squeezed her hand or how many times Henry told her how excited he was about going home, the guilt never faded.

The journey to Lake Nostos took almost half a day. By the time the sun was high in the sky and they'd had some lunch, they finally reached the shores of the Lake. It was more beautiful than Emma could have imagined. The water was crystal clear and white lilies floated across the surface. She saw a deer run away into the surrounding forest now that they had disturbed it while drinking and bright coloured butterflies danced around their heads. In the distance, birds sang a soft song that seemed to reflect happiness as well as sorrow.

Emma looked around. David had wrapped his arm around Mary Margaret. She saw the hurt in her mother's eyes. No parent should have to part with their child, she thought, and yet hers were about to do it for a second time. She slowly walked away from Regina and Henry until she reached her mother and father and before she could speak, they had both wrapped their arms around her. When she felt Mary Margaret's tears trickle down the side of her neck, Emma's defences broke and she cried.

"I love you," she whispered. For the first time she felt both her parents' hearts beat together with her own. She was home, in the arms where every child should be. The arms of loving parents. She'd longed for them for as long as she could remember, the same way most children in foster care did. She'd spent nights staring out of windows, wishing upon stars that someone would come that would hold her like a parent held a child. It had taken many years and eventually her wish had been granted by a candle on a cake, not a star in the sky, but it had come true. "I have always loved you and I always will. And I know we'll see each other again. I know it. Because that's what we do." She looked up, tears streaming down her face. "I find you."

"I know," Mary Margaret said softly. She let her fingers dance across Emma's cheek the same way she had done the night they had been forced to say goodbye twenty eight years ago. This time she wasn't about to put her daughter into a cupboard into a tree, she was about to entrust her into another world where she would live the life she always wanted. She was letting go, something every parent eventually had to face. "And I know you'll be happy. You deserve your happiness after all this time, Emma. You found us and you found your happiness. That's all we ever wanted."

David cupped his daughter's cheek. "You're going to do brilliantly, Emma."

"You keep working on finding some way for us to comeback," Emma said through her tears. "You grow those beans and create as many portals as you like and we'll come visit." She wiped the tears away and tried to smile. "We'll be here every Christmas and every Easter. Henry can come during the summer and you can teach him how to ride a horse and use a real sword. And…" She swallowed as she glanced over her shoulder at Regina. The dark haired woman was talking to Ruby. "And we'll always find our way home to you."

"What will you do if Storybrooke is gone?" Mary Margaret wanted to know.

"I still have my old place in Boston. It's not much and it's definitely not ideal for a family but it will do until we can find something bigger," Emma answered. She looked down at her hands. They were the hands of a woman who had changed in the last few weeks, months. When she came to Storybrooke she had been angry and alone, resenting the world for having abandoned her. Now she had a family and she was about to start one of her own. Storybrooke had changed everything.

Mary Margaret nodded and slowly stepped away from Emma. She walked up to Regina and the two women faced each other in a way they had never looked at each other before. They were equal for they both held half of Emma's heart.

"Take care of her," Mary Margaret whispered. She took Regina's hand into her own and looked at the ring that sat around her finger. "When she was born, nobody could have known this was the path she would follow but it led her here and it is with you that she belongs. Perhaps it is meant to teach us both something we should have learnt a long time ago." She looked up to meet an intense set of dark brown eyes. "Forgiveness."

"I forgive you," Regina said quietly before stepping forward and sliding her arms around Mary Margaret's shoulders, pulling her into an embrace. Suddenly she was young again and the woman she held was only a child. Innocence. They had been both robbed off it too soon. When they parted there were tears in Regina's eyes but her lips curled up into a smile anyway.

"Goodbye, Snow."

"Goodbye, Regina."

They all walked to the shore of the Lake and David reached into his pocket. From it he took the shrivelled, dried out bean and held it in the palm of his hand. Nobody knew for certain if it would work but Emma hoped with all her heart that it would. She watched as her father stretched out his hand and threw the bean into the Lake. The water rippled and the lilies drifted apart. For a few endless seconds nothing happened and Emma felt Regina's hand slip inside her own. The brunette squeezed it tightly. She shared Emma's fear.

But then the water began to part. Purple streaks appeared across the surface and the water started to turn, faster and faster, until a tunnel had begun to form. Bright lights flashed across the tunnel walls and it seemed to be endless, cutting right through the centre of the Earth. The wind picked up and the bird song was silenced.

"This is it," Emma breathed. She couldn't believe the last bean had worked. Her hand was still linked with Regina's and she looked beside her to take Henry's. Her son looked up at him and she saw the hint of fear in his eyes. "Don't be frightened. Just hold on and we'll be back in Storybrooke before you know it."

"Emma?" Mary Margaret called just before the trio was about to jump into the tunnel.

The blonde haired woman turned around. "Yes?"

Mary Margaret's eyes glistened with tears as she pressed herself a little tighter against her husband shoulder. Ruby had grabbed hold of her hand and she tried not to cry. Her voice was soft and broken, betraying just how much it hurt to see her daughter leave.

"Be happy."

Emma smiled. "I will," she promised. "I will."

When she looked back at the spinning water masse she noticed Belle already at the shore of the Lake. She didn't look up, never once glanced over her shoulder. Instead she looked sad and forlorn as she stepped into the tunnel and vanished from their view. She left the Enchanted Forest behind; looking for something else that would give her meaning. This was no longer where she belonged now that she was alone. Emma's heart broke for her and she looked back at Regina. Their eyes found each other and the older woman smiled encouragingly. She had every hope they'd make it.

They jumped. Their eyes wide open and their hands firmly linked together. The spinning whirlpool of water swallowed them up and they were thrown into the colourful madness. The strength of the water and the current pulled at their arms and legs and Emma felt fine drops of water rain down on her head. She managed to look down. The tunnel didn't seem to have an end. All she saw was a bright light, flickering between purple and gold. It grew brighter and brighter they closer they came and just before they reached it, they lost all their speed. They were no longer falling. Slowly she looked up and saw what looked like a ledge. She reached out and her fingers encountered cold brick.

She pulled herself up and managed to climb out. As she turned around and looked back to the thing she had just climbed out off, Emma realised with a shock that it was the wishing well. Her heart pounded in her throat as she leant over the edge and helped Henry out. Regina stood underneath him and he balanced on her shoulders. Emma grabbed hum underneath his arms and lifted him out before reaching back in to help Regina.

"We're home," Henry whispered as he looked around. "This is the forest surrounding Storybrooke!"

"Yes, yes it is," Regina answered slowly and looked at Emma. When their gazes locked she knew that Emma had noticed it too. The forest looked different. Something had changed.

"What happened?" Emma whispered as she and Regina walked a few steps behind Henry.

"I don't know," Regina breathed. "They said this would happen."

"You think Storybrooke is gone?"

Regina's teeth worried her bottom lip. "Looking at this, I'm not sure it was ever here at all."

They walked through the forest silently, holding each other's hand. Every step would bring them closer to finding out what had happened to Storybrooke. When they eventually reached what would have been the outskirts of the town, they came to the realisation that things were no longer what they had once been. Henry, who had reached it first, turned around and looked at both his mothers.

"It's gone," he said. "Storybrooke is gone."

He was right. What remained of the town were but a few rundown buildings. All windows had been broken, roofs had been ripped away and walls had crumbled. The road that had cut through the town had disappeared and trees and flowers had started to grow where houses and cars had once been. It seemed that now that the magic was gone, Storybrooke was slowly returning to what it had been before they arrived; another part of the forest. Nobody knew it had been here and now nobody would ever find it again. Storybrooke like they had known it was no more.

Emma took a deep breath and looked at Regina. The dark haired woman's jaw had dropped as she took in the sheer devastation. "I'm sorry, Regina."

"It's not your fault," Regina whispered and tears welled up in her eyes. "It's mine."

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Emma wanted to know. "There's no way back once you cross that line. The Evil Queen will forever be gone. You'll just be Regina."

Regina nodded. "I know that, Emma, and it doesn't change anything." She gestured around. "This happened because of me, because of the Evil Queen. The Regina I used to be, the one I wish I could remember, wouldn't have let this happen." She swallowed hard. "The Evil Queen is gone but for her to really disappear she needs to be forgotten."

"You know that when I tell you about the Enchanted Forest and the friends and family we have there, you most likely won't believe me?" Emma whispered. "You're going to think I'm crazy." She looked at Henry. "You're going to think we're both crazy because we remember and you don't."

"I trust you," Regina said softly. "I know you'll do what is right."

Emma heaved a sigh. "Okay. I guess that means it's time to go."

They walked down what once had been Storybrooke's Main Street until they left the last remnants of the town behind. The winding road out of the village came to an end at the orange line. Emma looked at the road sign. The name Storybrooke had even begun to wither there. Then she looked back at the line. Ever since the Curse was broken, people had feared this line. Nobody had been able to leave Storybrooke until then but once they did, they couldn't remember who they were before. There really was no way back once the line had been crossed.

"Henry, you go first," Emma said. "This won't affect either of us and I don't want Regina to be the first to go."

She watched as her son stepped across the line. Nothing happened and he turned around, a smile on his face. She then looked at Regina. She saw the fear, the hesitation. Regina was about to erase something that had made her who she was, something that had brought her to this very moment. She and Emma would never have met if it hadn't been for the Evil Queen. She'd still be lonely in Boston and Regina would still be in the Enchanted Forest.

"There is still a way back," Emma said when it seemed that Regina hesitated to cross the line.

"No." Regina shook her head and looked at Emma. "There isn't."

When she crossed the line Emma watched the white light engulf Regina for just a moment. Her eyes lit up and her skin seemed to glow. Then it was gone and she turned around, looking somewhat bewildered. But then she smiled as she saw Emma.

"Mom?" Henry asked and Regina looked at him.

"Yes, darling?"

"I think we should go."

"Yes," Regina answered as she kissed her son on his head. "Yes, I think we should."

Emma crossed the line too and took Regina's hand into her own. Their gazes locked and they started walking down the road. The silver ring around Regina's finger glistened in the mid afternoon sunshine and Emma looked back over her shoulder one last time. The sign with Storybrooke on it had disappeared. The last little bit of magic had disappeared.

"Let's go home."

* * *

**End.**


End file.
